The Theory of Everything ***** (2014, Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Charlie Cox, Maxine Peake, Tom Prior) – Movie Review

Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones give superb, award-worthy performances as the famous physicist Stephen Hawking and his wife Jane in director James Marsh’s engrossing, emotionally wrenching film of their relationship. Redmayne deservedly triumphed by winning Best Actor at the Oscar, Bafta, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards.

But Jones had to be satisfied with an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination, though Jóhann Jóhannsson won a second Globe for his Best Original Score. The film was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Motion Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Original Score.

Writer Anthony McCarten carves out a very good Oscar-nominated screenplay from Jane Hawking’s memoir book Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, with excellent dialogue, clarity and period sense. There’s just one thing, though, this whole story is based Jane Hawking’s book, which might make it unreliable as a historical record.

In any case, it’s only a movie, and in this case a gripping, distinguished and finally heartrending one. Jóhann Jóhannsson’s Golden Globe nominated score is a graceful asset. Charlie Cox enjoys a strong role as the couple’s choir master friend Jonathan Hellyer Jones. David Thewlis plays Cambridge professor Dennis Sciama, Emily Watson plays Beryl Wilde and Tom Prior is Robert Hawking, aged 17. Maxine Peake stands out a mile in the support cast as Elaine Mason, Hawking’s nurse.

Redmayne and Jones were in with award chances at the Oscars, Globes, the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the London Critics Circle Film Awards.

Apparently, it took writer McCarten 10 years to bring this story to the screen. He must be thrilled at the result. Certainly 32-year-old Redmayne was thrilled when he heard that Stephen Hawking emailed the director after seeing the film to say that there were moments when he thought he was watching himself. ‘That was the greatest review ever,’ Redmayne says. ‘I want to retire.’

Stephen Hawking.

RIP the great and good Stephen William Hawking CH CBE FRS FRSA; 8 January 1942 – 14 March 2018.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Movie Review

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