The Theory of Everything (2014)

Well told picture with amazing Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne. However, the script has been quite modify to adapt it to how the story wanted to be told no matter how many swaps in the time line, omissions or mistakes were introduced.

'The Theory of Everything' is James Marsh's biopic of scientific genius Stephen Hawking. Eddie Redmayne plays Hawking as we learn about his early days at university, his diagnosis of motor neuron disease, and the rise to his now iconic status. Marsh's direction is very good and he uses many point of view shots to create a huge sense of empathy for the main character. Marsh uses stunning visual effects in order to express Hawking's inner feelings and torment whilst highlighting his genius. The choice of music is also uplifting and echoes the key themes throughout the film. The screenplay is a really interesting piece of work and tells the story in a funny yet intriguing way. However, it does seem to lack a certain something as it tries to alter the source material in order to create some very conventional scenes. The performances in 'The Theory of Everything' are truly exceptional. Eddie Redmayne plays Stephen Hawking in a transformational and moving manner. You can barely recognise him as he highlights his illness with complete sincerity and plausibility. Felicity Jones plays his wife, Jane Wilde. I thought her role would be a simple one as she would work off of the powerhouse performance from Redmayne but the way she shows her strength and compassion is very moving and she does an excellent job. Overall, 'The Theory of Everything' is a fascinating film about a genius as he deals with his dibilitating illness. The maturity of everyone involved in this make it a remarkable movie. ★★★½

Based around the honest, touching and frequently heart-rending book by Jane Hawking (here played very well by Felicity Jones), this is essentially a story of love and dedication - with one hell of a lot of frustration thrown in too. Eddie Redmayne is superb as the now acclaimed, flawed and often rather unpleasant scientist whose brain was years ahead of it's time; and the drama marries his dedication to his work with his devotion to himself, his family and, of course, to everyone's handling of the increasingly debilitating disease that ultimately denied him just about every aspect of his physical being. It's not a science lesson - never fear, our neurones are left pretty much unchallenged. It is a love story. Not a romance, either - but a depiction of a relationship that thrived, struggled, rose and - ultimately - fell. The intimacies of the photography almost immerse us in their lives as both take a rather stoic, but not always enjoyable, approach to the difficulties faced by all concerned. It is well scripted, the dialogue is sensitive and plausible - and Jóhann Jóhannsson's score augments the visuals aptly too. As biopics go, it comes across as far less speculative; it has an integrity to it that coupled with with two actors at the top of the bill who clearly enjoyed working with each other, gives us a superior drama about two people who were genuinely interested in each other, and who are genuinely of interest to the audience. The supporting efforts from the likes of David Thewlis and Harry Lloyd and from the myriad of actors who portray the couple as they grow up from childhood add well to the overall richness of this - and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it.