OSCARS 2021: The Father (2020)

2021 is, obviously, going to be remembered as an atypical year at the Oscars. The film landscape being what it is right now, when combined with on-going changes in the Academy, has resulted in a pretty offbeat slate of films. Yet some things resonate no matter what. “The Father” is probably the most traditional of the nominated movies this year. It's an adaptation of a respected stage play by its equally respected writer, starring one of the most respected actors of our time and other award-winners. It's a film about aging and mental illness, which are always weighty topics to tackle. While more prestige than many of its fellow nominees, that doesn't mean “The Father” doesn't take some risks of its own. 

Anthony has dementia. Following a disagree with a caretaker, he's come to live with his daughter Anne and her husband. Anne does her best to care for her ailing father but it's a struggle. She debates with her husband about putting him in a nursing home, while attempting to bring a new caretaker into the home. Meanwhile, Anthony lives in his own memories, an uncertain mixture of the past and the present. More traumas, that have past and will come to pass, unfold as the story reveals itself.

“The Father” is most admirable for the way it takes us inside the mind of someone who has dementia. Most of the world unfolds from Anthony's point-of-view. The film covers a wide period of time but seems to play out over the course of a single day. Morning becomes evening and back again, a chicken dinner seemingly always being prepared. Anne is played by two different actresses, with other characters changing appearances from time to time. Another daughter, always unseen, is repeatedly referenced. Events that will happen and haven't happened yet are referenced interchangeably. The viewer is never entirely sure of where they are or what's happened exactly, putting them in the same situation as Anthony. He fixates on his watch, determined not to loose track of time... But he's long since passed that point. It's a novel, and bracing way, to replicate the effect of the mental illness.

A movie like this would typically be told from the daughter's perspective, as attempts to care for her sick dad. We see that side of the story sometimes too. After an argument with her father, she dreams about smothering him with a pillow. It's an understandable feeling, as Anthony isn't easy to deal with. He's argumentative. He tells outrageous lies about himself, that he was a dancer or a circus performer in the past. While being introduce to his new caretaker, his mood turns from jovial to intimidating on a dime. It's frustrating, watching someone you love, someone you look up to, fall apart like this. It makes the rare moments of clarity – when Anthony thanks her for everything she does, after helping him get his shirt on – all the more meaningful.

The reason Anthony Hopkins shares a first name with his character is because the part was written for him. (Director Florian Zeller has admitted that, if Hopkins had turned the role down, the movie wouldn't have been made.) On one hand, Hopkins occasionally sheds the sense of refined sophistication that has always been his trademark. When Anthony is suddenly slapped, an incident that may or may not have actually happened, the sense of shock and confusion feels totally real. At the same time, Anthony Hopkins is always Anthony Hopkins. When he starts ugly-crying, babbling about loosing his leaves or missing his mommy, it feels like acting. Hopkins does best when playing up the confusion and orneriness of the old man, not the vulnerability so much.

Any time a stage play is adapted to the screen, there's the issue of making the material cinematic. You can certainly tell that “The Father” was based on a play. Most of the movie is set inside a few rooms. The script is largely composed of terse conversations between the different characters. Yet director Zoller ultimately makes “The Father” feel like a movie. The subtle way he indicates Anthony's perception of time, by changing the sets in small ways or the use of color, is impressive. A dream sequence, set inside a hospital – which the lead character barely perceives as different from reality – is especially effective. 

“The Father” works best when translating how dementia affects someone to the screen. I've never seen the disease communicated in such a way before and it's very effective. It makes the film an emotionally bracing, unnerving experience in spatial disorientation. As a vehicle for Hopkins, it shows that the actor can still give a fine performance when asked to. (Even if someone more willing to get their hands dirty might've been better.) Olivia Colman and Imogen Poots also give laudable performances. It's a strong film, packed with some major emotion, even if it could've been even better with a few small changes. [7/10]