The Father
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Coleman, Rufus Sewell
Directed By: Florian Zeller
Rated: PG-13
Each year I enjoy watching all of the Best Picture nominations before Oscar Sunday. This year, I realized that I had put off watching The Father. All of the marketing I had seen seemed a bit like a dreary Oscar-bait film that would bore me. Finally, the night before the Oscars, I decided to rent the movie. I was shocked at how well-crafted The Father is in terms of structure and storytelling. If you’re hesitant to watch, don’t be. This is an excellent film.
The Father is seen through the lens of Antony, an aging man with Alzheimer’s who is quickly losing the concept of time and reality. Director Florian Zeller disorients the audience through editing and scene repetition, so we are confused along with Antony. Zeller makes the timeline non-linear. Certain scenes happen multiple times, and others take place out of order. Through the film, it feels as if we don’t have any real grip on the timeline of events.
Anthony Hopkins gives a devastating performance as Antony, the protagonist struggling to hold on to the years, weeks, and days that quickly blend into a state of confusion and disrepair. Does he live in his apartment or his daughter’s? Where is her husband? Who is the woman that brings home the groceries? Each moment of the day is met with a new wave of anxiety. Florian Zeller wrote the character hoping that Hopkins would take the role, and that certainly paid off. His portrayal of a man dealing with Alzheimer’s is both realistic and heartbreaking.
Olivia Coleman is always out there showing off her acting abilities. From The Crown to The Favourite, she’s got quite a resume. In The Father, Coleman plays Anne, Antony’s supportive daughter, who attempts to be there for her Father however she can. She cares for him, cooks for him, takes him to his doctor’s appointments. She is a devoted daughter and caretaker. It’s emotional to see their bond through the struggle of Alzheimer’s.
The set design in The Father is a character in itself. Most of the film takes place in Antony’s apartment, a labyrinth full of hallways. The set is brilliantly utilized. In several scenes, the layout of the apartment changes structure to show the audience Antony’s unreliable point of view due to his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Even when Antony physically leaves, the walls of the apartment are seen around him. He is stuck in the maze of his mind.
This film will be emotionally impactful for anyone who has had a loved one affected by Alzheimer’s. Just be prepared before watching that the subject matter is quite heavy.
I expected The Father to be melodramatic based on what I’d heard about it. My initial thoughts were wrong. Florian Zeller’s choice to make a film from an Alzheimer’s patient’s perspective is a brilliant choice. This is an excellent film with devastating performances, an intelligent script, and superb editing choices.
My Rating: 9/10