Anthony is 80, mischievous, living defiantly alone and rejecting the carers that his daughter, Anne, encouragingly introduces. Yet help is also becoming a necessity for Anne; she can’t make daily visits anymore and Anthony’s grip on reality is unravelling. As we experience the ebb and flow of his memory, how much of his own identity and past can Anthony cling to? How does Anne cope as she grieves the loss of her father, while he still lives and breathes before her? THE FATHER warmly embraces real life, through loving reflection upon the vibrant human condition; heart-breaking and uncompromisingly poignant – a movie that nestles in the truth of our own lives.
For in-depth thoughts on The Father, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
You can also hear more in-depth thoughts from myself and my wife/colleague Jessica Gonzales on our podcast Homedance Film Festival here.
Video Quality
The Father comes to Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that is truly stunning. This is a visually involved film with wonderfully composed shots of the precise production design of the apartment throughout where you can see an incredible amount of detail. The film is not bursting with vivid colors, but there are specific moments that radiate warmth such as the dinner scene or a cooler feeling such as the antiseptic look of the senior care facility. The interiors are razor sharp in their clarity with objects maintaining their form even in the darker corners of the flat. The white levels are handled beautifully, along with the intensely deep blacks that do not appear to suffer from any compression artifacts. The skin tones look very detailed and natural all around. This presentation is definitely a knockout on the Blu-Ray format.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that conjures a very specific mood that transports you right into Anthony’s flat. The luscious score from Ludovico Einaudi is showcased beautifully here with a gently enveloping use of the surround speakers. The dialogue comes through crystal clear without ever being overpowered by the sound effects or the score. The sound design is just as precisely thought-out as the on screen visuals with all of the sounds positioned just right in the mix. The environmental effects create a really off-kilter soundscape with voices coming from the other room among other aspects. This is not an action-heavy film, so the activity in the low end is nearly nonexistent throughout the presentation. This is a lovely sounding release that brings the movie to life in a really beautiful way.
Special Features
- Perception Check – Portrait of The Father: A nearly nine-minute featurette in which the creative team discuss the process of writing this story, the power of telling this narrative in this particular way, finding the right actors to fill these roles, inspirations for the performances, the act of bringing these characters to life and much more. This is fairly standard stuff, but watching these particular figures talk about the material is fascinating.
- Homecoming – Making of The Father: A seven-minute featurette in which the same set of people discuss what it was like working with Zeller, crafting the production design, the editing and cinematography of the picture, and more great insights.
- Deleted Scenes: Three scenes totaling six minutes in which Anne speaks to Anthony about his living arrangement, Paul and Anne have a discussion about Anthony’s condition, and Anne again discusses her concerns with Paul. All of these scenes are very much worth checking out.
- Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here that accurately captures the tone of the film.
Final Thoughts
The Father is a film that seems like it could be a depressing slog on paper, but it is told with such an energized vision that it never ceases to be fascinating at any point. The performance from Anthony Hopkins is an all-timer and Olivia Colman matches him at every turn. This film will punch you in the gut with emotion, but you will come back welcoming another viewing thanks to the densely-packed visual palette on display from Florian Zeller that you have to explore over and over. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has provided a rock solid Blu-Ray with a 5-star A/V presentation and a few lovely special features. The Father is one of the best films you will see all year, and for that reason it would make a great addition to any collection. Highly Recommended
The Father is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
