"I never told my father I loved him before he died, and I have a lot of issues about that. They're all swimming around in my head, in my heart, unresolved, and in a way it felt fitting to dedicate the film to him"

Gary Oldman’s words carry a sense of vulnerability and deep regret, revealing the complexities of a father-son relationship that was not fully articulated before his father’s passing. The confession of never having expressed love directly to his father before death is a striking admission. It highlights a universal human struggle: the difficulty of verbalizing our deepest feelings to those closest to us, often due to pride, fear, generational gaps, or unspoken family dynamics. Many people grapple with such unexpressed emotions, left unresolved when loved ones are gone.

Oldman’s acknowledgment of “issues swimming around in my head, in my heart” paints an image of emotional turbulence and lingering questions. He’s not just mourning his father’s absence; he’s confronting the pain of missed opportunities and unsaid words. The use of “swimming” suggests movement, circling, never settling, regret and longing that continue to surface in his thoughts and feelings. These unresolved emotions become part of his identity, shaping his experience of grief and personal growth.

The decision to dedicate a film to his father, in the context of these unresolved feelings, speaks to the ways art can function as a conduit for healing and connection. By choosing to honor his father posthumously through his work, Oldman finds a channel for the emotions he was unable to communicate directly. The word “fitting” suggests a sense of karmic balance or symbolic closure, as if the film itself becomes an act of love, a message finally sent, albeit too late for his father to hear. Through creation, he transforms personal regret into a tribute, seeking solace and redemption. Oldman’s reflection is a poignant reminder of the importance of expressing love while we can and the enduring, intricate impact of relationships between parents and their children.