In today's environment of bottomless new content competing for my attention, I really struggle to find reasons to re-watch anything. The siren call of the new and unknown, brimming with potential greatness, will inevitably win out over the familiar. However, the one exception to this rule is when I have opportunities to watch things with others. After all, what is the purpose of trekking out into the unknown if I don't share what I discover. With that said, this was a re-watch for me, as my mother was visiting and was looking to watch a movie. This film had really resonated with me and I thought she would connect with its story as well.

I wasn't writing reviews at the time of my first watch, so I figured I'd circle back with a brief write-up. If you're unaware, this film is based on a stage play, so you should be prepared for a very small, dialogue driven story. That said, the clever central conceit ([spoiler]our perspective mirroring the unreliable perception of Hopkins' character as his mind deteriorates with age[/spoiler]) provides a backbone of drama and mystery as the story unfolds. It's the perfect blend of high and low concept (a simple narrative twist applied to a dialogue driven character study). Ultimately, the main thing to talk about here is the powerhouse performance of Anthony Hopkins. There's a reason he won an Oscar for this role. His character's arc through the movie feels authentic, with the entire spectrum of human emotions on display. Historically I'm not one to get emotional during movies, but that may be changing, as Hopkins' performance in some of the final scenes of this film definitely had my eyes watering up.

The Father is a brilliant film. Fantastic performances all around, amazing editing, and cinematography that creates confusion for not only the audience but our main character. This story is so touching and incredibly tragic, it had me tearing up at multiple points. Not only do the emotional points work, but this film also creates an almost horror aspect of Alzheimer's that is quite frightening. It really made me sympathize for those with this disease and fear for the potential future of myself losing my memory.

Score: 92% |
Verdict: Excellent

Incredible performances from Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman!

'The Father' makes for a rather heart-breaking watch, it's very clear from the get-go where the film is heading but that doesn't stop it hitting directly in the feels. I've fortunately never been around someone with what this film depicts, yet it still came across as very realistic - based on what I have heard about the condition.

Hopkins is utterly superb in the lead role, which is what I expected given I had heard about this 2020 flick back when it won the big gongs. Something I hadn't heard about, though, was Colman's performance - which is absolutely fantastic, particularly in one emotional scene alongside Hopkins and Imogen Poots.

A very saddening but brilliant film, cleverly portrayed too.

'The Father' is a standout during this very bland awards season, but just because it's both a critical darling and awards frontrunner doesn't take away from the emotional power and stellar performances for Colman and Hopkins.
- Chris dos Santos

Read Chris' full article...
https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-the-father-a-deeply-moving-look-at-mental-illness

‘The Father’ is an incredibly moving film that leaves you as confused in time and place as the main character (an incredible Hopkins), allowing the audience to experience - if only a little - what it must feel like to have dementia.

9/10