THE FATHER

Review: Anthony is 80, mischievous, living defiantly alone and rejecting all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to figure out all of his changing circumstances, he starts to doubt his loved ones, the ebb and flow of his memory and also the fabric of his reality.
Director: Florian Zeller
Actors: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, Olivia Williams, Imogen Poots, Rufus Sewell and Ayesha Dharker
Year: 2020
Genre: Drama and Mystery
Conclusion: 4/5
This is Florian Zeller’s directorial debut. I thought that Anthony Hopkins’ performance was good although when watching him I did get the impression that he was putting on a performance. I also thought that it is a story that could work and be great on the stage. Apparently, this film has touched people profoundly but I have to say that it hasn’t worked for me that way. As much as I enjoyed this, I never really felt any emotion. The location of Anthony’s flat is in a building on the junction of Lauderdale Road and Elgin Road in London’s Maida Vale. This film did remind me a lot of Amour (2012) which I felt a lot more emotionally engaged with. Some of the themes that The Father deals with are family, home and illness, including dementia. At the Academy Awards in 2021 this won two Oscars for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Anthony Hopkins) and also Best Adapted Screenplay. At the Bafta Awards in 2021 this won for Best Leading Actor (Anthony Hopkins) and Best Screenplay (Adapted).