While delving into his complex and staggering body of work would have provided an interesting, if more than likely brain melting, experience, The Theory of Everything threads much more intriguing ground. Shedding light on the complicated, yet completely devoted, relationship between world famous theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his first wife Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones), we are treated to a beautiful and bittersweet love story, bolstered by superb performances from the two leads.
Director James Marsh (Man on Wire, Shadow Dancer) wastes no time getting the story up and running, with the first act focused on Hawking and Wilde's endlessly charming courtship while both were attending Cambridge University in 1963, while she is studying art as he is chasing a post grad in cosmology. It throws up some extremely sweet moments, which makes the following scenes as Hawking's crippling motor neurone disease takes hold over him, and their relationship, that much more devastating. The movie takes a turn in this moment, immediately setting it's sights on your heart strings, but Marsh directs with a deft hand, steering the movie away from being overly cloying. It explores Wilde and Hawking's relationship after this event in minute detail, offering up the portrait of a marriage straining under the weight of reality and resentment, as Wilde soldiers on caring for her husband, watching as his studies and theories propel him to the top of his field, while her own education and dreams fall by the wayside. Marsh may spend too much time on these details, with the second act feeling like explores one particular plot point a bit too much, but it doesn't rob the movie of it's momentum, as you feel yourself getting caught up in the story in a wonderful way. It's odd to call a movie investigating these themes beautiful, but cinematographer Benîot Delhomme shoots with an eye that captures the beauty in everything, from the embers of a fire reflecting a black hole in Hawking's eye, to snap shots of the couple's home life that say more than pages of dialogue can convey.
Most of the praise is falling at Redmayne's feet, and it is rightly deserved, as he puts in an extremely committed and compelling performance. He captures Hawking's mannerisms and trade mark self deprecating humour perfectly, delivering a performance that is richly deserving of any awards nominations thrown his way. But this film is a two hander, and the exact same amount of praise should be levelled at Jones' extremely brave performance. She imbues Jane with an instant likability, and watching her mask of determined optimism slip, conveying so much emotion and character with just one look or changing her tone of voice, is absolutely mesmerising. They are ably supported by a great supporting cast, including David Thewlis and Charlie Cox, who compliment the leading pair perfectly.
Beautifully shot and superbly acted, The Theory of Everything offers something slightly above the usual biopic, an interesting and emotional look at the private life of one of the world's greatest minds.
Director James Marsh (Man on Wire, Shadow Dancer) wastes no time getting the story up and running, with the first act focused on Hawking and Wilde's endlessly charming courtship while both were attending Cambridge University in 1963, while she is studying art as he is chasing a post grad in cosmology. It throws up some extremely sweet moments, which makes the following scenes as Hawking's crippling motor neurone disease takes hold over him, and their relationship, that much more devastating. The movie takes a turn in this moment, immediately setting it's sights on your heart strings, but Marsh directs with a deft hand, steering the movie away from being overly cloying. It explores Wilde and Hawking's relationship after this event in minute detail, offering up the portrait of a marriage straining under the weight of reality and resentment, as Wilde soldiers on caring for her husband, watching as his studies and theories propel him to the top of his field, while her own education and dreams fall by the wayside. Marsh may spend too much time on these details, with the second act feeling like explores one particular plot point a bit too much, but it doesn't rob the movie of it's momentum, as you feel yourself getting caught up in the story in a wonderful way. It's odd to call a movie investigating these themes beautiful, but cinematographer Benîot Delhomme shoots with an eye that captures the beauty in everything, from the embers of a fire reflecting a black hole in Hawking's eye, to snap shots of the couple's home life that say more than pages of dialogue can convey.
Most of the praise is falling at Redmayne's feet, and it is rightly deserved, as he puts in an extremely committed and compelling performance. He captures Hawking's mannerisms and trade mark self deprecating humour perfectly, delivering a performance that is richly deserving of any awards nominations thrown his way. But this film is a two hander, and the exact same amount of praise should be levelled at Jones' extremely brave performance. She imbues Jane with an instant likability, and watching her mask of determined optimism slip, conveying so much emotion and character with just one look or changing her tone of voice, is absolutely mesmerising. They are ably supported by a great supporting cast, including David Thewlis and Charlie Cox, who compliment the leading pair perfectly.
Beautifully shot and superbly acted, The Theory of Everything offers something slightly above the usual biopic, an interesting and emotional look at the private life of one of the world's greatest minds.
