Film Review: The Theory of Everything

Rating:

Directed by James Marsh, The Theory of Everything takes a look at the relationship between the famous physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his wife, Jane (Felicity Jones), and is in turn based on Jane’s memoir, Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen.

Once a healthy, active young man, Hawking received an earth-shattering diagnosis at 21 years of age. With Jane fighting tirelessly by his side, Stephen embarks on his most ambitious scientific work, studying the very thing he now has precious little of – time.

If you follow the Awards season then The Theory of Everything is the film you will have heard most about, and that’s because it tells a story about many of us are inspired by, yet know so little about. The story of Stephen Hawking’s life is one we should all know more about. Knowing that he is a genius is not enough, as the story that The Theory of Everything tells puts his life and ambitions under a whole new light.

Told alongside a beautiful love story, The Theory of Everything is eye-opening, full of triumph, and heart-warming until the very end. Full of beautiful cinematography and phenomenal performances, for which I think Redmayne and Jones should both win the award for, this film had me crying from start to finish.

Eddie Redmayne is one of my favourite actors, giving excellent performances in films such as My Week With Marilyn and Les Miserables, so I’m glad to see that his talents have finally gotten some attention. We all knew that Felicity Jones was going somewhere too, so it’s equally great to see her give that performance we have all been waiting for.

The two make an incredible on-screen couple, and Redmayne’s performance as Hawking is one of the best you will see. Having to perform the role of a character with such a painfully tragic illness, Redmayne handles the role with such sensitivity that, even if you’re not a fan of Hawking’s work, you’ll judge his accomplishments under a whole newly formed perspective. His ambitions and commitments are truly admirable, with Redmayne’s and Jones’ performances making these characters so engaging, relatable, and inspirational.

The Theory of Everything is without a doubt my choice for Best Film this year, as well as the winner for both the male and female actor roles, so make sure this is at the top of your list to watch this Awards season.