AFI FEST 2020: The Father Review – The Tragic Truth About Dementia

The Father - Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins

Dementia is a subject matter that affects a lot of families. It just so happens that it’s also the subject matter of one of the most well-acted films of the year. The most compelling aspect of The Father comes from the film’s exploration of dementia from the entirely subjective perspective of someone living with it. As a result, The Father becomes a poignant journey that exposes all of Anthony’s spiraling emotions as he deals with dementia. The Father follows Anthony (Anthony Hopkins), an elderly man with dementia who is taken care of by his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman).

Directing an adaptation of his stage play, French playwright Florian Zeller takes his stage expertise on a cinematic scale. Zeller doesn’t hide the fact that The Father‘s origins came from a stage play. By design, the action in the film is confined entirely to one central location. Unlike a set change that you’ll find in a theater, Zeller uses editing and composition to intensify the disorientation caused by the sudden switching of actors and flats. He knows that properly viewing the world from Anthony’s perspective requires the audience to be confused about everything that they’ve already seen.

Different actors play the same characters that we’ve already met, and dialogue talked about in a previous scene is immediately contradicted in the next. It’s a clever game plan because it puts us right into Anthony’s advancing state of dementia. By messing with audiences’ viewpoint, The Father lets them experience the terrifying loss of mental control themselves. The circumstances around Anthony can change at a moment’s notice, and every change comes in without warning. It’s such a truthful and original way to tell this kind of story, which is why Zeller’s stage play was so renowned. It’s disorienting and surreal, but it says so much about what it’s like living with dementia. 

The Father - Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins

Thankfully, The Father doesn’t venture into exploitative territory. The film does a tremendous job of trying to get audiences to empathize with Anthony as he mentally spirals. A lot of that has to do with the impeccable work done by the one-and-only Anthony Hopkins. Hopkins has an innate ability to infuriate you, make you laugh, and break your heart all in one go. He just embodies the character. 

Similar praise should go to Olivia Colman too, who offers the counterpoint that caregiving is not necessarily easy on the caregiver. The way Colman internalizes her emotions is just heartbreaking to watch. It’s easily her most compassionate and heartfelt performance to date. Both Colman and Hopkins’ performances complement each other so well.

Dementia is ugly, but it is also inherently tragic, yet The Father refuses to take the easy way out by giving us a happy ending. With dementia, there are no happy endings, only difficult truths. It’s one of the many heartbreaking reasons why The Father is not an easy watch for anyone. Yet it’s a must-watch for Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman’s award-worthy performances.

Rating: 4.5/5 atoms

The Father opens on December 18th.

The post AFI FEST 2020: The Father Review – The Tragic Truth About Dementia appeared first on Nerd Reactor.





from Nerd Reactor

0 comments:

Video Games Movies / Film Music Nerd News Star Trek Nerd Trailers DC Comics Sci-Fi Television / TV Comic Books Movie News DC Cinematic Universe Movie Trailers News Comedy / Humor TV News Nintendo Wii Batman Technology Batman v Superman Superman Celebrities Music Videos Comic Strips Syko.org TV Promos Wonder Woman Animation Marvel Comics Social Media Sports Arizona / AZ Stargate Superbowl Football Linkin Park Man of Steel Science Suicide Squad Xbox 360 DC Films Editorials Government Nintendo DS Box Office Comic Book News DC Television Universe Green Lantern Harley Quinn Microsoft Rock News Suns Twitter Videos Basketball Blogosphere Business DC Extended Universe Daily Deals Food / Beverage Marijuana Marvel Cinematic Universe PlayStation 3 Spider-man Staff News Super Bowl 50 The Joker Video of the Day Warner Bros. Web Development Wonder Woman Angry Birds Apple Aquaman Archie Comics Auctions Batgirl Birds of Prey Bizzaro Bizzaro Girl Bluetooth Books Bryan Fuller C4MULA CBS California California / CA Cartoons Chester Bennington Crime Customization DC Entertainment DC TV Dead by Sunrise Deaths Deep Space Nine Ebay Email Facebook Fanmade Features Federation Financial Florida / FL Fringe Gmail Google+ Greg Berlanti Hawkman Health Japan Julien-K Literature Luxury Martian Manhunter Mobile / Wireless Multiplayer Multitouch Music News NSFW Nevada / NV Nintendo 3DS No Warning Operating Systems Orgy PSN Papa Roach Pete's Dragon Press Releases Rap Music Reviews Rockstar Seth Macfarlane Software Software Update Sony Star Trek Beyond Streaming Media Supergirl Syko Sam SykoDeals SykoPoetry Tech News The Avengers The CW The Flash The Flintstones Themes Transportation Trekkers Trekkies Trekspertise United Family Music Voyager Walmart Warehouse 13 Website Tools Windows Windows 10 Windows Media Xbox Live iMac