In the grand realm of films, there are very few that stretch boundaries and deliver something so unique and arresting that you cannot help but be absolutely floored by what you are witnessing on screen. “The Father,” the debut feature film from stage director Florian Zeller, is one of those special movies.
The drama had its original release back in January of 2020 at the Sundance Film Festival to massive acclaim. The lucky few that were given the privilege to check out the movie cited the brilliant performances from Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman as the film’s standout feature, with its screenplay, editing and production design receiving plenty of praise as well. Now, over a year following its initial presentation, “The Father” is finally available on demand, allowing eager audiences to view the film from their own home. Safe to say, it was well worth the wait.
“The Father” is based on a French play of the same name written and directed by Zeller. Following successful stints in different theaters in Paris, London and New York, Zeller was provided the opportunity to develop his story into a fully-fledged feature film. Having never dipped his toe into the world of filmmaking, Zeller had limited experience when crafting his movie. Despite his recent emergence as a film director, Zeller was able to accomplish an incredible feat by creating one of the most exquisitely executed films of the last year.
The story follows Anthony, played by Hopkins, and his struggle with dementia, causing him to begin to lose his grip on reality. His daughter Anne, played by Colman, searches for a willing caregiver but her attempts to help her father are deemed worthless as he constantly resists assistance from anyone, despite his deteriorating mental state. As the film progresses and the characters undergo more residual effects caused by Anthony’s illness, audiences are dragged deeper into engagement, becoming increasingly desperate for a resolution to the dilemma at hand.
To depict Anthony’s perspective, Zeller utilizes compelling editing tools to keep audiences suspended in confusion, often unsure if what they are looking at is real or not, much like the main character. This disorienting and jarring decision effectively places viewers into the mind of Anthony and demonstrates the torment he undergoes in a dramatic and gripping fashion. Zeller pairs these distinct editing choices with aggressive production design in order to exhibit Anthony’s difficulty in identifying his surroundings, with the layout and décor of his apartment changing frequently in subtle ways.
But, when the credits of “The Father” roll, what audiences are completely stuck with is the memory of an acting tour de force from one of the greatest to ever do it. Anthony Hopkins portrays his character in a manner so genuine and devastating that it feels as if you are no longer watching a movie, but a deeply-emotional recollection of dementia’s imposing power on its victims. His stammers are perfectly-paced and the concerned and blank look in his eyes feels upsettingly authentic. Above all, seeing Hopkins tragically express the fear of attempting to grasp his reality is what truly makes audiences weep for him, a lost and confused man with no way to free himself of this cycle that he finds himself caught in.
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