Deborah Ross

Anthony Hopkins’s portrayal of dementia will undo you: The Father reviewed

What Hopkins brings to the words on the page is beyond and beyond and beyond

O father where art thou? Olivia Colman is terrific as Anne, but the film belongs to Anthony Hopkins as Anthony 
issue 12 June 2021

The Father is an immensely powerful film about dementia starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, who was asleep in his bed in Wales when his Best Actor Oscar was announced, so we’ll never know if his outfit would have been a hit or a miss. Shall we give him the benefit of the doubt and say ‘hit’? Either way, he is absolutely remarkable here. I read the screenplay, available online, out of curiosity, and what he brings to the words on the page is beyond and beyond and beyond. Hopkins has played King Lear (twice) but this is his real King Lear.

What Hopkins brings to the words on the page is beyond and beyond and beyond

Adapting it from his own play (with help from Christopher Hampton), Florian Zeller has also directed the film. Zeller wrote the part specifically for Hopkins, hence our main character is called Anthony. This Anthony lives in a magnificent flat in an expensive part of London and the action rarely strays.

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in