"The Theory Of Everything" (12A)Directed by: James Marsh.
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Tom Prior, Emily Watson and David Thewlis.
Rated: '12A' for containing brief sexualised images and mild bad language.
Running time: 118 minutes.
Out now in UK cinemas.
Prior to viewing this film I had very little knowledge of Stephen Hawking and his profession. In fact, all I knew was (in the vaguest terms possible) that this revered man was a scientist of immense fame, and that's simply it. In fact I thought the man was American! Call me ignorant, but I was never too interested in his scientific exploits, and for a long while the name of Hawking meant nothing to me. But after viewing his latest biopic (there was an acclaimed televised film about Hawking, shown on the BBC in 2004, starring Benedict Cumberbatch himself as the physicist), my eyes have been opened to the dedication of a man who despite his overwhelming sickness, strived to reach new scientific heights, whilst defying the odds.
Here James Marsh ("Project Nim", "Man On A Wire") leaves the realm of low-budget productions to produce this project of prodigious scale, which seems to have suited him particularly well. Marsh is a director of prominent talent, and here he has helped to create (along with his talented cinematographer Benoît Delhomme) a very sleek and glossy piece of film, including many well-shot sequences, highlighting his abilities, whilst the piece is anchored by two equally talented leads. The famed Eddie Redmayne takes centre stage as the renowned astrophysicist, as we follow him throughout his years at the university of Cambridge, the meeting of Jane (Felicity Jones) his eventual wife, and the unfortunate deterioration of his health, due to motor neuron disease. What follows is a disconsolate tale of heartbreak, joy and a message of hope to those in need.
Despite the promise of an uplifting story at it's core, quite honestly, I was rather disappointed to hear that Redmayne was set to portray the scientist. He just didn't seem ready to take on a role which required such a style of acting calibre. And personally I have never been a fan of Redmayne, even as he popped up in productions such as "Les Misérables" (highly overrated), and the fairly lacklustre "My Week With Marilyn". But it seems as though I was totally wrong regarding his talent, and here Redmayne provides a career-best performance with such great skill, it has finally allowed me to take him seriously. It's in this role that he spreads his acting wings and governs his performance of Hawking with such realism, that it's fair to say Hawking himself could be sitting in that chair, and I wouldn't have even noticed.
Through the manipulation of his facial expressions, body movements and speech, Redmayne's performance is dedicated, totally believable and ultimately heart-breaking. Jones herself blossoms in the most demanding role of her career so far, allowing us to finally see her true talent, in a role she truly deserves and excels in, rather than being sidelined in productions such as "The Amazing Spiderman 2". Jones's support is undoubtedly awards-worthy, so it is most pleasing to know that the actress has been nominated for a Golden Globe. Fingers crossed...
It was quite difficult to fault this film, and for many weeks, this review had me stumped. But I finally have it. This is an intelligent drama for sure, and many other scientific based projects often become bogged down in the scientific aspects which can prove to be off-putting for some audiences, and I must admit, this is no different. When explaining the various theories, I felt that the science wasn't exactly explained well enough to hold my unaltered attention. It was occasionally confusing, and left my head feeling as though I'd just sat through a day's endless repeat of "Inception". Maybe this is just me, but in general, Anthony McCarten's ("Death Of A Superhero") screenplay is otherwise a highly intelligent script, filled with good-natured humour that both Redmayne and Jones both sink their teeth into. Harry Loyd and David Thewlis are welcome additions to the cast, and are uniformly excellent; Thewlis himself is highly engaging, as ever.
Verdict
"The Theory Of Everything" is a well-designed drama featuring almost faultless performances in roles which demand care and attention, but the cast take it all in their stride, alongside Marsh's outstanding camerawork. It may seem slightly too long, and the science is occasionally mind-numbing, but this is a great British achievement in filmmaking which isn't to be missed.
6.5 Stars out of 10
Written by Scott Gentry.
Written by Scott Gentry.
Film/TV Rating Key
1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.
3-4 stars out of ten = Average.
5-6 stars out of ten = Good.
7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.
9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.
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