Movie Review: The Father (2021)
Anthony Hopkins of 'Westworld', Oliva Colman, Mark Gatiss, Rufus Sewell of 'The Man In the High Castle' and Oliva Williams star in this story (based on a play) of a man with dementia. There are ACTINGS and drama in this UK film.
A man (Hopkins) misperceives the world and does and says unamiable things. He lives in his daughter Anne's massive flat. Anne (Colman) is sad. There is great sadness and no living legacy and tension rises and secrets bubble up. Hopkins has dementia and irreversible neurological impairment. There is no reasonable action. Hopkins prefers his other daughter Lucy but has forgotten she is dead. There is no happy, healthy, normal life. This is not one to savour.
The old man gets vitriolic and he's vaguely delusional. Gatiss plays a nurse. The father is egregious and mocks his daughter. There is overacting. Anne's vanishing husband Paul is played by Sewell. Hopkins has concerns and things are erased for all time. This was not vibrant. Did Anne get divorced and move to Paris? Hopkins feels bruised and this was botched.
Hopkins voices his displeasure. This was flawed. Hopkins is adversarial and inquisitorial and irritational and unfair and unreasonable and into heated exchanges. There is vagueness and pleadings and extreme concern. This was not of manifest importance. There is no obvious accomplishments and this was forgettable.
This was implausible. Hopkins is imperilled. This was a farce. There are moral responsibilities. There is derision and Hopkins berates and is condescending and judgmental and complains.
Hopkins languishes and rants for unfounded reasons. There is no certitude. There are tangible shifts and animus and disillusionments. You are not awe stricken. There are aspirations. Things take a grim turn. This was very poor. There is very little empathy. Anne is visibly devastated and withdrawn as her mad dad waffles, goes off on tangents, makes wild and illogical assumptions and behaves in ridiculous fashion. Anne feels blamed.
Interest is abeyance. Things are turbulent and there is a loss of connection and things get much worse and worrying. Hopkins is unconfident and not cognitively engaged. There is no hopeful expectation in this incomprehensible and patronising film.
Best Lines:
“Woman is raving mad.”
“They don't even speak English.”
“I've met someone.”
“You?”
“What husband?”
“She's not very bright...not intelligent. I think she gets that from her mother.”
“Cooking up against me.”
“I'm not leaving my flat!”
“What is this nonsence?!?”
“Something funny going on.”
“Stranger to him.”
“Don't need any help form anyone.”
“Claiming this was not my flat.”
“Really unsympathetic looking man. A bit like your husband, only worse.”
“Strange things going on around us.”
“You have 2 daughters?”
“Never gets in touch. Never.”
“Very bad influence.”
“Turned the charm on.”
“I want my mummy! I want her to come fetch me!”
“So happy if she came to see me.”
“Long-held assumptions.”
“Go on ruining your daughter's life?”
“How long do you intend to hang around getting on everybody's tits?”