The Theory of Everything
DIRECTED BY: James Marsh, SCREENPLAY BY: Anthony McCarten, BASED ON: Traveling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen BY: Jane Hawking, STARRING: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, RUN TIME: 123 Mins, RELEASE: 2014
The Theory of Everything tells the story of arguably the most brilliant physicist of our time, Dr. Stephen Hawking and centres around his battle with the progressive and destructive motor neuron disease that he was diagnosed with at the age of 21, and his marriage to Jane Hawking (his first wife), who's memoirs are the basis of this film.
There can't be many people in the civilized world that do not now know the amazing story of Stephen Hawking. If he doesn't come under the 'most famous people on the planet' list, then I don't know who does. To that end. The Theory of Everything does not bring anything wonderfully new to the table in regard to story. We have heard this before. Hawking (2004) was a great TV film (and the first to tell the story of his life), and starred Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role.
That being said, the excellence of The Theory of Everything truly rests largely on the strength of its casting. Although Cumberbatch did a fine job (it's probably unfair to compare the two, but that I must) as the physics professor, I think it's fair to say that Eddie Redmayne's performance is out of this world (pun intended). I love it when an actor puts so much dedication into portraying their given character (created or existing) that they are barely recognizable as themselves any more. Redmayne spent months training with a dancer, researching the disease, meeting with patients and contorting his face in front of the mirror in preparation for taking on the difficult role. And boy! Didn't it pay off. There's really only a few other actor/character transformations that have blew me away like that in recent years, and this one probably takes the top spot for me personally. To watch his chronological metamorphosis is just outstanding; the way he contorts his entire body and adapts his speech. Having already won himself 'Best Actor' at the Golden Globes and the Bafta's, I'll honestly be gobsmacked if he doesn't walk away with the Oscar too.
The praise doesn't simply go to Redmayne. The casting of the charming Felicity Jones was also a great choice (and the first and only choice as it turns out). In the role of Jane, Jones added such tenderness and compassion to the film and I just found these two to be the perfect pairing. The on-screen chemistry between these two actors gave The Theory of Everything such depth, honesty and naturalness that made it all the more captivating. They just seemed to feed do well of each other’s performances to create the perfect coupling. I hope she also gets the recognition she deserves.
At it's root, The Theory of Everything is a simple story; It is a story of love, support, struggle and overcoming, and it is beautifully written and adapted by McCarten whose previous writing credits include - among others - Death of a Superhero (2011) and Show of Hands (2008). The production is fantastic and it really does look beautiful from start to finish. There are also some great supporting performances from the likes of Harry LLoyd, David Thewlis and Emily Watson, to name but a few. Whether you have an interest in Stephen Hawking or not, you really should give this film a watch. It is a superbly touching story, executed by a talented cast that produce unforgettable performances.