The Father

It's just so sad and also a bit terrifying. My wife works as a nurse in an alzheimer's ward, and she said this is the most realistic depiction of the disease she has ever seen. She also said in her opinion it should be required viewing for anyone that works with alzheimer's or dementia patients. What a movie!

Anthony Hopkins portrays in a fantastic way how life erodes, piece by piece, when dementia takes over an old man's life. Olivia Coleman, who plays his daughter, shows with greatness how painful and sad it is to see her loved father slowly disappear into the fog. The film really grabbed me and tore my heart apart.

Anthony refuses to accept any help from his daughter Anne, or any family members, Anthony's confusion increases, he's battling dementia.

A powerhouse performance from Anthony Hopkins, this film is outstanding in almost every avenue. It came as no surprise that Hopkins was chosen for the part, he delivers a stellar performance, you'll feel Anthony's frustrations, hurt, and now and then you'll chuckle with him.

If you know someone with, or have cared for someone that suffers with dementia, you will spot so many of the little signals and quirks here.

This film is so incredibly realised, when you see dementia sufferers on the big screen, you normally get the view point of the friend or loved one affected by it, here you see the effect from the sufferer's point of view.

There's a degree of originality about this film that sets it apart, it is without a doubt, one of the best films from the last two decades.

10/10.

This is a film that stays with you. Of course there's the brilliant performances but there's more. While other films have taken on old age and dementia, those films took on coping with a significant other's condition. The difference here is that the film is from the sufferer's perspective. You therefore see these events as if you yourself have dementia. And it's stunning how, when you walk away, you know you can.

And then you get Anthony Hopkins in THE FATHER. This is a devastatingly, heartbreakingly-brilliant performance and a great film. Hopkins' range is incredible. He goes from charming and funny to menacing to wholly lost in seconds. From man to child on a dime. It's a powerful rumination on a terrifying disease, bolstered by Sir Tony at his finest, a strong supporting turn from Olivia Colman, and an excellent script by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller (based on Zeller's play). It's a daring move to tell the story from the perspective of Hopkins' character as his mind increasingly deteriorates. A savvy one too, as the audience is forced to engage to truly understand what is real, who is who, and where precisely we are in our protagonist's gut-wrenching journey. This may be Hopkins best work, a late-career revelation that once again reminds us why he's one of our finest cinematic performers. Be warned. If you've ever been touched by the tragedy of dementia, this film could wreck you.