Now we finally get to see his life put onto the big screen.
I initially was not sure if I should see it. The trailer looked too much like Oscar bait and was not going to be anything extraordinary.
But as the release date drew nearer, the trailers seemed to entice me enough to want to go.
Directed by James Marsh who is known to me for doing two great film documentaries Project Nim and the iconic Man On Wire where he won an Oscar. He has made a gorgeous and beautifully looking feature that has a compelling story.
For most of the first half, it is all very well told. But it all felt a bit expected, and with it being basically a biopic, that is a bit of a catch-22 situation. However, the second half gets quite sensitive and incredibly emotional. This is where we see the film come alive and suddenly we are watching something quite special and it reminds us how brilliant Stephen Hawking was, is and will be till the end of time.
The biggest attraction will be for Eddie Redmayne playing Hawking. He utilises Hawking's personality from the start and it reminds me of Ben Kingsley's performance of Gandhi, Redmayne was made for this role. During the film, we see his transformation and with all his wonderfully witty and profound moments. we see him as the great professor rather than the actor before we are halfway through.
His relationship with Felicity Jones playing wife Jane is quite masterful as they are an actual couple themselves. It reminds of Dev Patel and Freida Pinto in Slumdog Millionaire.
Her performance will sadly be lost in the midst of Redmayne's towering lead. But her contribution was vital in the lead being able to shine.
Two other performance that are worth mentioning are Charlie Cox which was a lovely surprise. This guy who's only noteworthy role was in Stardust. Playing a supporting role in this reminded me how sweet and charming he can be with his characters. I really hope he gets noticed more often in more major British film dramas. Another role was a very small one, but it was former World Cup winning footballer Frank Lebouf playing a French doctor. His presence on screen really caught me off guard. I know that he was aiming to be an actor, so to see him in something like this was quite pleasing to see.
Outside of the performances, one part of the film that I just adored was the glorious score by Johann Johannsson. I never really noticed it until the final third of the film, but every time it was noticeable, you felt inspired to do something great just like Hawking keeps mentioning in his interviews over the last few decades.
When it comes to biopics, it is not good to just do something that everyone knows. There needs to be something different. With a lot of depth and emotion and you are onto a winner. We have seen that with many and I feel The Theory Of Everything can join that club.
Redmayne delivers a perfect portrayal of Hawking and is surely an Oscar nominee. There are enough mannerisms, wit and spot-on personality where you can see both Hawking and Redmayne married in perfect harmony.
There is a great mix between his love Jane and the progress of his theory. Sadly, I would have liked a bit on the science, but that is just a personal criticism. There are some obvious glossy moments, but I think the makers of the film did enough beforehand to get away with it.
Overall, it is an inspiring watch and really makes you think about humans need to learn more loving ourselves and not forgetting to continue our evolution in knowledge of the universe.
Rating: 8/10
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