Dad (2005 TV Movie) User Reviews

Loss of dignity or loss of patience?

[prylands · 6/10 · 24 March 2005]

This was better than average fare for current drama and offered some thought-provoking content. The programme provided a look at the discomfort of growing old, the burden of having parents staying in one's house, and the diminishing dignity from one generation to the next.

I liked the lack of obvious progression in this programme - similar offerings tend to be mostly predictable. This contained surprises and in its selective viewpoint it challenged the viewer to take a side.

The father, played by Briers, gives humorous yet stoical reasons for his frailty ('It must be all that waiting about at Dunirk') but the younger generation effect patience yet clearly have a limited supply of it.

I eagerly awaited the inevitable confrontation and was surprised as most viewers would have been by the actions of Kevin Whatley's character. There was no easy resolution and the ending of the programme was rather abrupt. But it gave food for thought and was an enjoyable production.

Well done but very, very depressing

[BertRoeger · 7/10 · 30 October 2005]

Ever since The Good Life I find it hard to resist anything with Richard Briers in it, so I gave Dad a try, expecting something Jacklemmonwaltermatthau-ish. But from the outset it's obvious that Dad is far more serious than that. O yes, there's a bit of humor every once in a while, but that's not what this story is about. It's - put very simply - about the reality of getting old. The loss of dignity, the loss of freedom, the loss of friends and loved ones. And it's about people who mean well and can do no good, because of the ugly circumstances.

The movie is not without it's faults: I think the way the staff and nurses of the nursing home were depicted as the bad guys was just a little bit too easy. But it also has some great acting, especially by Briers. And the ending? Well, in the end I think it just depicts what makes this movie so utterly depressing: there simply is no easy solution.

Watch it if you're ready for a bit of ugly truth.

Strong piece of acting

[driesvd62 · 27 October 2005]

As I only started to watch this enjoyable piece of TV drama when it was already more than halfway, I can't say very much about its contents. But I admired the strong acting of both the protagonists, Kevin Whateley and Richard Briers. Briers was maybe a little bit too "young" for his part and sometimes tended to slightly overdo things. But in general, it's becoming rare to watch TV drama of this quality on Flemish television nowadays. Before I started watching this, I had been sleeping on my couch, but I was immediately woken up and grabbed by the story. The climax the film was working to succeeded completely. It's a work that needs to be done by authentic top-class actors, which was really the case here.

A good piece of drama

[rossrobinson · 10/10 · 25 February 2005]

This piece of drama was totally different to what i was expecting, as i thought it was going to be like the move Dad which stars Jack Lemmon and Ted Danson, I did enjoy this piece of drama as there was some good actors in it. I felt sorry for Richard Briers character as he was an old man who wanted things to be put right, for his wife and for himself. Things started to get worse for him after his accident, his wife ended up in a home and he was worried about her as he noticed that there were bruises on her arm, he wanted to look after her on his own, out of the home she was put in, The son was a right prat because he abused his own father, he was drived mad about his dad, wanting to do things he wanted but didn't get that, I felt sorry for the old man and almost cried, it was a weired ending as i thought they have should of done it better, to make it a happy ending. I enjoyed it, but felt sad towards the end. i give it 7 out of 10.

A must see for many.

[hughfair-1 · 10/10 · 9 May 2011]

As with Away From Her, that was me. It hurt to watch but couldn't help it. It was a masterpiece of interpretation. In Alzheimer Societies, so many members are women caregivers. Few men caregivers. I would urge anyone with a family victim to see it. You know when it hits it as if your loved one has gone. I must urge everyone to NEVER take their wife for granted. You learn quickly the meaning of, "Women's work is never done". The actors were unknown to me; I found them so believable. As a caregiver you live in mortal fear of becoming a casualty; what would become of your loved one? We vowed never to put the other in a home. yet, do not relish moving in with adult children. Please forgive my personal touch.