The father

"I feel as if I'm losing all my leaves.The branches, and the wind, and the rain. I don't know what's happening anymore.”


“The father” could easily have been a psychological thriller. It starts on a bright note with Anthony enjoying classical music and a visit from her daughter announcing she’s moving to Paris. But then we find out his daughter is worried about him and tries to convince him to take a caregiver, they discuss and then she leaves. Next scene Anthony finds a stranger in his flat, or at least it seems a stranger to him and from there you just never know what is real and what is not. I was just as puzzled as Anthony and sometimes I was wondering if he is not gaslighted. It is harrowing and at the same time terrifying how your mind can twist reality and you find yourself doubting your own mind. I just cannot imagine how it can be for those suffering from dementia and for their families living with them, but the movie helps us understand this terrible disease and the effects it has not only on one’s mind but also on people around him. It comes to mind “Amour” from some years ago that also explored a similar disease and its consequences. But I feel “The father” goes one step further on analysing the subject, going inside the patient’s mind and trying to show us its mental decay and also his helplessness and of his daughter, that it has no other choice than to witness his father’s deterioration and simultaneously the destruction of her own private life.
Despite treating such a delicate subject there are no silent moments, it’s a continuum of dialogues or monologues(mostly by Anthony), you never get bored and the 90 minutes of the movie just flow rapidly. That’s thanks to the screenplay and a mesmerizing performance by Anthony Hopkins. It’s a perfect transition from stage to motion picture especially since the director and screenwriter is the same of the play, that is Florian Zeller. You can clearly see from the setting and dialogues that it is meant for the stage, but it didn’t bother me at all. It was cleverly well edited by Yorgos Lamprinos to give you a sense of confusion just like Anthony.
Just last year Hopkins was nominated for “The Two Popes” and now we witness another great performance of his. He will forever be recognized for his iconic character Hannibal Lecter, but I think his “The father” performance was his best portrayal ever.