The Father (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
An 80 yr. old widowed man suffering from dementia tries to make sense of his ever-changing world & his daughter who is trying to care for him in 'The Father' (directed by Florian Zeller, co-written by him & Christopher Hampton, & based on Zeller's popular stage play). Anthony (Anthony Hopkins) is said 80 yr. old who lives in London & is suffering from that horrible disease. Though he is smart, cultured, charming & seems relatively 'with it', he often confuses things & often imagines things; such as where he lives & the various people in his life. His middle-aged daughter, Anne (Olivia Colman), visits regularly & has been desperately seeking someone strong-willed enough to deal with her dad's thrashing temperament.
It has become increasingly evident that Anthony can barely function on his own, so his lovely flat morphs into the one Anne shares with her husband, Paul (Rufus Sewell), who has had about enough of his father-in-law's spiky behavior. A new caregiver named Laura (Imogen Poots) is being interviewed by Anne & Anthony and ... it seems like Laura may finally be the right one for him. She reminds Anthony of his other daughter, Lucy - his favorite, as he reminds poor Anne - who has passed away. Anthony's mind starts to play more & more tricks on him; to the point that he - nor WE the audience - are ever sure what's real is real. To this, Paul pressures Anne to consider putting Anthony in a nursing home. Anthony has reached the point where he barely recognizes anyone, including caregiver. Laura. As the film nears its end, we start to realize the identity of the people Anthony has mistaken for his daughter, Anne, & husband, Paul. Drama ensues.
Corrupted memories, a fragmented existence & skewed perceptions permeate the proceedings. Is Anne really moving to Paris, as she tells him in the first scene, or is that a figment of Anthony's imagination? Why isn't Anne still the young woman (Olivia Williams) that he remembers? Is Anne married to the man (Mark Gatiss) reading a newspaper who identifies himself as his own son-in-law? It seems to Anthony that Anne was married to Paul (Sewell). Wasn't the chicken already in the oven? And why can't he remember where he put his watch? All of these questions & concerns eat away at poor Anthony throughout the course of the film.
'The Father' is not an easy movie to watch; heartbreaking, really -- especially if you have or have had a family member diagnosed with this unforgiving ailment. But this film is about more than dementia, it's also a story about the point in one's life when the child becomes the parent. Anne is happily married & wants to live her life, but she also doesn't want to abandon her father. Unfortunately, in this case, she may not have a choice.
Florian Zeller wrote the character of Anthony with Sir Anthony Hopkins in mind and, well, I can't imagine anyone else in the role; perfectly suited for the Oscar winner & his mighty talents. Hopkins is charming with Laura, scary when angry, & devastating when weeping in the arms of his latest caregiver near the end of the film -- gut-wrenching stuff! He moved me to tears. If it wasn't for Chadwick Boseman's wonderful performance in his final role for last yr.'s Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, I think Hopkins would be running away with his 2nd Academy Award. Also excellent is Olivia Colman {no shock there}, whose wonderfully expressive face tackles every appropriate emotion. Watching her & Hopkins on screen together is like drinking fine wine.
The movie also thrives with the genius of its meticulously & superbly crafted screenplay structure. Zeller & Hampton make clever choices throughout that leaves us, the audience, as disorientated as Anthony. Scenes are shown from his perspective & are purposefully disjointed/confusing to reflect his mental state. Zeller often has different actors playing the same role, so that when Anthony doesn't quite recognize someone, we experience the same dissociation. Even within the posh flat where Anthony lives, furniture subtly changes, time frames shift, & apparent strangers appear from nowhere ... or are they strangers? SO hard to watch, but Hopkins makes 'The Father' such an intimate & engrossing experience that it is difficult to look away.
It has become increasingly evident that Anthony can barely function on his own, so his lovely flat morphs into the one Anne shares with her husband, Paul (Rufus Sewell), who has had about enough of his father-in-law's spiky behavior. A new caregiver named Laura (Imogen Poots) is being interviewed by Anne & Anthony and ... it seems like Laura may finally be the right one for him. She reminds Anthony of his other daughter, Lucy - his favorite, as he reminds poor Anne - who has passed away. Anthony's mind starts to play more & more tricks on him; to the point that he - nor WE the audience - are ever sure what's real is real. To this, Paul pressures Anne to consider putting Anthony in a nursing home. Anthony has reached the point where he barely recognizes anyone, including caregiver. Laura. As the film nears its end, we start to realize the identity of the people Anthony has mistaken for his daughter, Anne, & husband, Paul. Drama ensues.
Corrupted memories, a fragmented existence & skewed perceptions permeate the proceedings. Is Anne really moving to Paris, as she tells him in the first scene, or is that a figment of Anthony's imagination? Why isn't Anne still the young woman (Olivia Williams) that he remembers? Is Anne married to the man (Mark Gatiss) reading a newspaper who identifies himself as his own son-in-law? It seems to Anthony that Anne was married to Paul (Sewell). Wasn't the chicken already in the oven? And why can't he remember where he put his watch? All of these questions & concerns eat away at poor Anthony throughout the course of the film.
'The Father' is not an easy movie to watch; heartbreaking, really -- especially if you have or have had a family member diagnosed with this unforgiving ailment. But this film is about more than dementia, it's also a story about the point in one's life when the child becomes the parent. Anne is happily married & wants to live her life, but she also doesn't want to abandon her father. Unfortunately, in this case, she may not have a choice.
Florian Zeller wrote the character of Anthony with Sir Anthony Hopkins in mind and, well, I can't imagine anyone else in the role; perfectly suited for the Oscar winner & his mighty talents. Hopkins is charming with Laura, scary when angry, & devastating when weeping in the arms of his latest caregiver near the end of the film -- gut-wrenching stuff! He moved me to tears. If it wasn't for Chadwick Boseman's wonderful performance in his final role for last yr.'s Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, I think Hopkins would be running away with his 2nd Academy Award. Also excellent is Olivia Colman {no shock there}, whose wonderfully expressive face tackles every appropriate emotion. Watching her & Hopkins on screen together is like drinking fine wine.
The movie also thrives with the genius of its meticulously & superbly crafted screenplay structure. Zeller & Hampton make clever choices throughout that leaves us, the audience, as disorientated as Anthony. Scenes are shown from his perspective & are purposefully disjointed/confusing to reflect his mental state. Zeller often has different actors playing the same role, so that when Anthony doesn't quite recognize someone, we experience the same dissociation. Even within the posh flat where Anthony lives, furniture subtly changes, time frames shift, & apparent strangers appear from nowhere ... or are they strangers? SO hard to watch, but Hopkins makes 'The Father' such an intimate & engrossing experience that it is difficult to look away.