The Father Review: 5 Ups And 2 Downs
1. Up: Anthony Hopkins Gives The Performance Of A Lifetime
If the previous entries weren't enough to peak your interest to see The Father, that's okay because you only really need one reason that trumps all the others. In his best work since Silence of the Lambs, perhaps of all time, Sir Anthony Hopkins gives a tour de force performance that is simply sensational from start to finish.
A titan of cinema, Hopkins is incapable of bad work but he has managed to outdo himself at 83 years old for what is some of the most soul destroying and powerful acting ever put to screen. In the best performance of the entire year, Hopkins captures every emotion that Anthony is feeling in the moment from his unbridled glee to his most destitute desperation. His impressive range is on full display for all to see.
The performance is grand and unrelenting and the material is difficult and complex to work with yet Hopkins doesn't miss a beat. He bares all in a brave and extraordinary portrayal that will stay with you long after the credits roll. If for anything else, The Father is worth watching for one of the industry's greatest legends giving a career defining performance that will be celebrated for years to come.