Film - The Father

The father (Anthony Hopkins) is refusing outside help despite his increasingly fragile existence living with dementia. We meet him when his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) calls round as yet another caregiver resigns over his treatment of her.

Anne is looking to move to Paris to be with her partner. I’d be petrified of leaving my loved one alone in the house never mind leave and go and live in another country. She continues to try and find a carer that will stay. I couldn’t get my head around this. Only later, we are disbelieving of what our mind is telling us as much as Anthony begins to doubt his own.

I’m reminded of last year’s The Roads Not Taken which I found possibly more harrowing as that’s father’s mind was lost with grief. Both demonstrate how powerful our brains are, and what happens when they no longer function.

Hopkins envelopes this film, filling every screen and we are compelled to watch.

7½/10