A Genius Film

There is something about geniuses being portrayed in film that is very compelling.  Seeing what these particular people have contributed to society is always interesting.  Stephen Hawking has contributed so much to what we know about the universe, and I was very excited to watch The Theory of Everything and learn his story.

The Theory of Everything is about the relationship between Stephen and Jane Hawking.   What surprised me about this movie, and very pleasantly so I might add, is that this movie is not just about the story of Stephen Hawking.  This movie is the story of Stephen and Jane and their life together.  It is a story of a passionate love that is tested due to the disease Stephen has contracted.

Eddie Redmayne delivers a brilliant performance as Stephen Hawking.  We see him struggle with the beginning stages of ALS at the start of the movie, so we already know that this is going to be an emotional story. What is particularly emotional is Stephen’s unwillingness to give up his research, even after he learns he has ALS.  Eddie Redmayne’s performance in this movie is on a level I have not seen since Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, and his Best Actor Oscar is well-deserved.

Felicity Jones plays Jane Hawking.  She is perfect as a devoted wife who is pushed to the edge because of Stephen’s physical limitations.  Even after she has an affair, of which she is not proud of, she still remains at his side.  It is a very heartbreaking performance.

James Marsh is the director of The Theory of Everything.  The cinematography in the movie is absolutely beautiful, as the use of color often reflects what the characters are going through.  Marsh does a very good job of showing the journey that these people go through, even though the outcome is not necessarily a pleasant one.  That is the great thing about what Marsh does with this movie: he keeps us invested in the story even though we know what happens.

I must have watched the trailer for this movie 50 times, and each time I got more excited to see the film.  This movie shows what Stephen Hawking was like when he was a young man, which so many of us know so little about.  This is a beautiful movie with excellent performances, and a Best Actor win that will go down as one of the greatest moments in Oscar history.