Reviewing "The Father": An incredibly poignant look at dementia featuring brilliant performances

The Father is a drama film directed by Florian Zeller, starring Anthony Hopkins as Anthony, the titular father and a man suffering from dementia, as he gradually loses his grip on what is real and what is not.

This film is essentially an exploration of dementia from the perspective of someone deeply affected by the condition. The plot is a series of intentionally confusing interactions between Anthony and his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) as well as other people in his life as he becomes more and more unsure of what is happening as he unwittingly loses control over his mental faculties. What is actually happening in every scene is deliberately unclear since most of the film is from Anthony's perspective. Objects in the background in a certain area change from scene to scene, different actors ostensibly play the same character, previously established facts are changed, scenes seem to happen over and over again. This is all intentional, serving to highlight how Anthony doesn't really understand what is going on around him. In fact, some of those scenes can be quite chilling, almost like a thriller, but it is not, yet the unease felt by Anthony as his condition affects him more and more will definitely be shared by the audience.

The performances are nothing short of masterful. Anthony Hopkins gives a career-defining performance as a man so broken down by his mind that he doesn't even know it, serving as a stark contrast to many of his previous roles where he was the one with authority and control. The emotional weight of certain scenes will just hit the audience all of a sudden, as you realize how sad and confused Anthony must be, having to live with dementia. It's no wonder that he won the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 93rd Academy Awards, with this riveting performance.

Olivia Colman is also a standout in the film, with her character showing great concern, vulnerability, inner conflict, and frustration, reactions and emotions that are all perfectly understandable and valid in the face of having to deal with Anthony's condition.

The film was based on Florian Zeller's own play and its nature as an adaptation of a play really shows. It is also hugely beneficial to the nature of the story since subtle differences in the various locations can be clearly highlighted by the camerawork, drawing attention to the discrepancies and leading to viewers understanding the depths of Anthony's illness and the resultant confusion he feels from the seemingly abrupt and inexplicable changes that occur constantly.

The Father is a heartbreaking film about dementia, specifically about how someone with dementia might see the world and how things might not make sense for them anymore, with events being remembered out of order and familiar people's faces becoming unrecognizable. The film is simple but very effective, with genuine, moving, and emotionally effective performances from Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman. A truly standout film featuring a truly standout Anthony Hopkins.

Score: 10/10