What is life worth when the realities in our minds no longer correspond to actual reality? It must be a terrifying and profoundly sad experience to be helplessly at the mercy of a world one no longer understands. To feel as though everyone has conspired against you and that you alone possess a clear mind — when in fact the exact opposite is true.

We watch Anthony slowly disappear, watch him fight against it, trying again and again to prove to himself and those around him that this is not the case. A seemingly classic case of refusing to accept the truth. A phase he fights against for a long time, and in vain, before he is finally forced to surrender to it. And not only him — his daughter Anne and everyone in his life must do the same. It is painful to watch, even from a distance. How much harder must it be to live with it?

In the end, we all become children again — helpless beings longing for the warm and protective presence of our own mother. It is a sad story, with the absolute certainty that there will be no happy ending. This film moved and touched me deeply. It drew me in from the very first moment, never disappointed for a single second, and sustained the tension — if one can call it that — right to the end.

When you immerse yourself in the lives of the characters, you are drawn deep into their helplessness and hopelessness. And that helplessness, alongside the slow decline, is portrayed with outstanding skill by everyone involved. Bravo.

The Father (2020)