A family navigates a major adjustment in The Father, the debut of co-writer/director Florian Zeller.
Anthony knows he’s gotten up there in years, but he and his daughter disagree on how much time has affected him. He thinks he’s doing fine, but she insists that he needs some help, contending that his mental slips are noticeable and potentially dangerous. For his own good, she’s taking him to doctors and hiring people to help him, but he just can’t see what the fuss is about, which the film explains by getting into his head to show how he negotiates the odd things he’s experiencing.
While this is Zeller’s first film, he’s hardly new to telling complicated stories like these. He’s been plying that trade through books and plays, racking up acclaim and awards. This film is even based on one of those plays, so the hurdle for him isn’t the material but the medium.
We already know he had the good sense to get some top tier actors, casting Olivia Colman as the nervous daughter and Anthony Hopkins as the ailing father. It should be a treat to see those two play off each other, even if it is under the weight of such serious material.
The Father is directed by Florian Zeller and stars Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman. It is currently scheduled to be released in the US on December 18th, 2020, and in the UK on January 8th, 2021. For international release dates and to keep up with any changes, click here.
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