'Father' Film Review

Star Rating: 4/5 stars

Director: Mark Mcauley

Writer: Mark Mcauley

Starring: Mark Mcauley

Film Review by: Joyce Cowan

'Father' is a direct and raw portrayal of the complexities of father-son relationships, showcased by some brilliant acting and noticeably actor-directed.

The character of the father, in particular, expresses the full range of emotions that can take hold of anybody with his affliction, from frustration to confusion to fear and anger, with nuanced precision. His heartbreaking confession about his son, 'I don't recognise him', illuminates the immediate conflict which hides many more conflicts in the background. In essence, conflicts are caused by the remorseless power of unprocessed hurt, regrets, and things left unsaid. 

In this key, the film also explores a huge theme: men coming head-to-head with their feelings, their story, and their identity. While watching this film I was reminded of some of the best works of art in other disciplines, exploring this, such as Sam Fender's albums, in music, and in literature the 1999 novel Man and Boy by Toni Parsons. 

The script makes at once subtle and direct, even obvious, portrayal of this. 

The son taking a sip of liqueur as he arrives at his childhood home and sees the true extent of his father's state, for example, is clear and obvious. 

The setting of this story in a typical Irish rural home heightens the sharpness of the themes and the narrative, which is a brilliant choice by the author. In the silence of the country, thoughts and feelings seem to scream. 

It is this setting that also allows for heartwarming use of symbolism through the presence of a horse in the story. As well as being beautifully sensitive and intuitive animals, horses symbolise strength, freedom and communication. It is riding his horse after many years that finally grounds the son's character. 

This is what this story is getting at: that the healing power of accessing and processing the deepest pain and going back to the roots, however difficult, is undeniable and in many ways, inevitable.