Saw The Father last night - one of the most emotionally devastating & acted films I've ever seen

Sat down and watched the Father last night - all I knew is that Anthony Hopkins won the Oscar and nothing else. I'm not ashamed to admit that, by the end, I was crying like I've never cried during a movie before.

Telling the story of a man, Anthony Hopkins, struggling in the depths of dementia, it's structured in a non-linear fashion that captures the confusion perfectly. Speaking with my parents after, both of whom have experience with other people going through the same, they said it was a picture perfect depiction of what it's like.

Reviews I read afterwards say that it's Hopkins' best and they're not wrong. His performance is absolutely sublime. In one scene, he is putting away groceries and every moment depicts confusion in his body and his face - no words are said. They're not needed - it is the perfect example of Show, don't tell.

A scene towards the end - I won't say which - broke me like no movie has ever done before. It's a scene that even thinking about or speaking about sends tears flowing.

Olivia Colman, similarly, gives a powerhouse performance by being incredibly understated. Emotion is played out on her face so perfectly as she tries to help and understand what is happening to the man who she has loved her whole life.

Reading further afterwards, I discovered that it is originally based on a play, with the director being the original playwright. And it made so much sense, because it's acted and shot exactly like how a play is structured. It made me yearn to return back to the theatre.

How Nomadland won best picture over the Father ... I'll never understand. 12 hours after seeing this movie, I'm still tearing up thinking about it. And it will stay with me for longer.

If you haven't seen the Father yet, then I highly recommend it, but be prepared to not just cry, but bawl.

Did anyone else see it? I'd love to know what people thought. Especially those who had direct dealings with dementia.

Submitted June 23, 2021 at 04:56PM by MynameasGaeilge https://ift.tt/35KcWCi