17 Performances so sad that you won’t be able to hold your tears

Modified Feb 09, 2025 11:34 ET

The Father | Image Source: Sony Pictures Classics

8) Anthony Hopkins in The Father (2020)

In The Father, Anthony Hopkins gives a heartbreaking performance as Anthony, a man suffering from dementia. The disorienting nature of the narrative of the film, mirroring Anthony's confused perception of reality, is richly enhanced by Hopkins' portrayal of a man losing his grip on memory and identity. The more muted moments of anguish, as Anthony's befuddlement hardens into anger and frustration in some scenes, give the sense of aging and mental decline to be both an intimate and a devastating portrayal.