the father

Director Florian Zeller realistically depicts the mental confusion of octogenarian Anthony who weaves in and out of reality, struggling with a dementia he refuses to acknowledge, one symptom of his cognitive deterioration. Second, Anthony’s primary caregiver, daughter Anne, elicits empathy through scenes focusing on her painful coping.

First seen sitting in a chair, reading a book while listening to classical music in his posh London flat, Anthony Hopkins delivers a heartbreaking performance as an 80-year-old gentleman trying to come to terms with the subtle disorientation of dementia. At this point, Anthony – that’s his character’s name, since director Florian Zeller wrote the role for Hopkins – barely recognizes his daughter, Anne (Olivia Colman), who is trying to introduce him to Laura (Imogen Poots), a new caregiver.