Few things in life are as certain as birth, death, and change. Old age is certain as any of these; it brings with it treasures of glamour and a set of difficulties in tow. Once we become part of this world, our time begins its tick, gradually but certainly guiding us to our inevitable demise. In this case study, we shall direct our focus on the character of Anthony, portrayed by Academy Award Winner Anthony Hopkins in the movie The Father (2020). He is an octogenarian, lives in London with his daughter and son-in-law, and suffers from dementia. This study will hence look at the impact of Anthony’s mental condition (dementia) on his life and those who live with him.
The Father takes us through an hour-long experience of real-life dementia, warmly embracing its effects on different persons other than the patient. Mr. Anthony, in his alternative understanding, is portrayed as a man who lives alone, and defiantly so, rejects all assistance his daughter, Anne (portrayed by Academy Winner Olivia Colman) metes out diligently. Anne cannot keep up with the daily visits anymore hence the need to hire caretakers for her ailing Father. While Anthony appears charming, gentle, mischievous even, his inability to grasp the very fabric of reality makes his daily life rather difficult. Such reality includes his denial to have a caretaker while feeling abandoned despite his daughter’s continuous provision of aid. It is conditions such as these that we intend to look into, their causes, and their impacts.
