By Luca Newton
The Father finally released in UK cinemas recently, and I finally got to see it so long after the release in the USA, which is the last Oscar nominee I hadn't seen..
One of the Best Picture nominations for 2020, The Father finally released in the UK, after so long after the US release, which was in 2020. However, in that time, I've been incredibly eager to check it out. To see how it was, but also to finally finish my Oscar 2020 binge, which I was unable to do before the ceremony unfortunately. However, after having seen this masterpiece today, I wanted to write about it, on a technical level. I believe several building blocks of the film really culminate for an incredible portrayal of an old man with Alzheimer's and how it impacts people around them.
This essay includes spoilers for The Father, I implore you watch it before reading this.
How Does Film Form Help An Authentic Portrayal Of Alzheimer's?
There are many ways in which film form can enhance a portrayal of something such as Alzheimer's. By dissecting the individual elements of film form, I will unwrap what makes it such an effectively heart-breaking, mind-boggling portrayal.
Firstly, it absolutely has to be mentioned the absolutely incredible performances. Anthony Hopkins plays Anthony, who is the titular father character. Absolutely worthy of the Oscar he won for his role. His range was fully displayed in The Father. From being extremely charming, to angry, to crying. He is consistently dynamic. He absolutely is a major player to convincing us of the Alzheimer's, as he plays the father himself, and so to believe the portrayal, he has to be convincing. I've never experienced Alzheimer's, nor seen any close family affected by it, and hopefully never will, but I can tell from Anthony Hopkins' performance, and how infuriatingly gut-wrenching it is. There is a lot to choose from in this film, when highlighting his great performance, but one that sticks out is actually at the very end of the film. Once Anthony comes to terms with where he actually is, in an caring home, he is just so overwhelmed with emotions, and overwhelmed with loss. You can tell he resents his memory and what he can't remember. He feels lost, and he says that he wants to go home with his Mummy. It's the way that Hopkins' face turns read, and fills with tears, and genuine desire to see his mother, who is dead. His desperation and depression seams through those lines.
Another scene I felt really showcased this incredible performance, was when he meets Lucy, his potential carer. In that scene, you see how Anthony is trying to act very charismatically, even though he is deeply confused - however, the later in the scene. he really starts to take out his confusion, and turn it into resentment for his daughter Ann. This scene also really showcased Olivia Colman's also excellent performance. While, we aren't seeing this story from her perspective, when she is taking the horrible comments from her father, and just trying to apologise for her father's behaviour, she is constantly fighting tears - something truly heart-breaking. Additionally, Olivia Colman's Ann also helps to represent how Alzheimer's impacts people around the person with it.
Furthermore, The Father really takes advantage of Hopkins' performance, to give us a first person perspective, in the most true sense. They additionally use other forms of film to put across that perspective, in a way that bends your mind. For example, the use of casting is effective and thoughtful, which is an element not used in this way much. Multiple characters are named, and turn out to be completely different characters. Rufus Sewel's Paul is Ann's boyfriend, but earlier in the film we see Mark Gatiss claim he is Paul, which later we find out is a doctor called Bill. Additionally, earlier in the film, Anthony sees his daughter Ann looking completely different, he can't recognise her. Later in the film, the actress that played the unrecognisable Ann, Olivia Williams, is actually the main carer for him in the care home, Catherine. These decisions establish the film in the hands of a very unreliable narrator, which is very fitting for a film portraying Alzheimer's.
What I believe is the most important aspect of this film, the editing, really shines. Editing is a really overlooked element of film. I mean, as many filmmakers say, a good edit is invisible. However, there are deliberate decisions in editing that can entirely change a film, and how it is. Simply editing can entirely change the pace of a film. With a simple wrong edit, a film can be completely coherent. Editing is truly vital. What The Father does so effectively, is consciously discontinuity editing. The film is a huge mindfuck, and it honestly confuses me still, because the way the film is edited is in a very weird order, that confuses us as spectators, but that's the point. By seeing events happen, then repeat slightly different, or hearing of previous scenes never happening, then suddenly actually having happened a lot earlier. It just bends your mind, and I think that is vital to making the main perspective incredibly unreliable, as you honestly can never tell what actually happened, nor can you tell when it happened or what will happen. The film is entirely unpredictable, and confusing and out of place. But that's the key to authenticity. I think the most blatant use of editing is when the actual Paul and Ann are around for dinner, and they call him in, after a clear argument about Anthony - but the next day for our view, we see the start of the exact same argument, and we see the first scene in a completely different context.
The narrative plays into the whole unreliable perspective, when we find out that literally everything we've seen in The Father has been a mix of his imagination, and past memories, and false memories. But we never know what order what the events happen in. Furthermore, the way the scenes are cut is intentionally fast. You have a cut from what we assume is the previous night, however we are told it's been weeks. The pace even actively seeks to disorientate the audience, and truly immerse us in Anthony's point of view.
Another crucial element cementing this authentic portrayal of Alzheimer's, is the mise-en-scene. An element that isn't too well known, but it means everything in the scene. So the set, location, props, and costumes. There are several significant items that anchor some logic, which is thrown in our face later. The watch that Anthony set up for Lucy to steal, but then Lucy is introduced, as if that scenario either never happened, or was ordered wrong. Alternatively, you could look at the chicken, which causes confusion on who Paul is, or if he exists. Later is eaten, which is the scene that repeats confusingly. There is also the set and location. The entire film is set within the same flat. What is clever is the way the flat is constantly shown to really establish us its look. The hallway specifically is vital to understanding this film, as later when we find out his flat is just a care home, we see the same hallway, but different in colour and aesthetic. Furthermore, the previous weird out of place casting makes sense, with how this flat has always been a hospital, and so when Anthony saw Ann as Catherine, and had completely forgot who Catherine was, it kind of puts us in this position where we later know how Catherine was someone Anthony saw all the time, and Ann came to Anthony occasionally to take walks with him, and so he internally confuses them. And all of that makes more sense, when you realise the settings and how they intertwine within Anthony's head, and from what we are being show.
Conclusion
The Father is absolutely a masterpiece. Through Anthony Hopkins' incredible acting, and the use of vital items and editing, the narrative was sown in such an intentionally confusing way, it made the film truly heart-breaking with how it portrayed Alzheimer's. I think the reason the film truly captured that was due to Florian Zeller, who wrote the book, and directed the movie. He genuinely understood Alzheimer's and incorporated it into the film form, fundamentally building this film from the perspective of someone with Alzheimer's so accurately. It made the film a joy to watch, I've never watched something so unpredictable in my life.
10/10 - Masterpiece
Thanks for reading.
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