When you place a director of documentaries in charge of a
full-blown cinematic biopic, worries over the episodic feel or the
predictability of the true story are always there. However, James Marsh has –
to a large extent – succeeded in putting those fears to rest in The Theory of Everything, the story of
Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his relationship with his first wife Jane
(Felicity Jones), as well as his early battles with motor-neurone disease.
The usual tropes of stopping every five minutes to explain the
time setting or using Basil Exposition to keep the audience up to date are
gone, replaced with a flowing, properly filmic narrative. We begin with Stephen
at Trinity Hall in Cambridge, exploring his meeting with Jane and his early
advances in physics which – while capably captured – are not the most
interesting part of the film. Redmayne is given his real chance to shine when
the effects of Hawking’s disease begin to worsen and he is confined forever to
a wheelchair. It’s a truly transformative performance, a rare occasion when the
following line (spoken in a stereotypical trailer narrator voice) is more than
justified: Eddie Redmayne is Stephen
Hawking. His portrayal of the great man is subtle, carefully considered, and
painfully honest.
Felicity Jones simply glows as Jane, making the journey from
endearingly precautious in the early years to steadfast and strained as
challenge after challenge come knocking. The supporting cast is a hodgepodge of
British talent, with Harry Lloyd growing into his role as the narrative
progresses whilst David Thewlis pops up occasionally to be his usual charming
self. Everyone involved gives it their all and their combined talent is what
makes the balance of humour and darkness really work: you’ll find no mawkish
sentimentality here.
The story itself does not emerge entirely unscathed: the cinematography
is occasionally prone to TV-movie style sheen (an odd choice considering the
increasingly painful subject matter) and Jóhann Jóhannsson’s musical score sounds
like the very definition of Oscar-bait. But in the grand scale of the film,
none of this leaves a sizeable blemish: whatever else may be wrong with it, The Theory of Everything is ultimately a
celebration of two lives lived to the full no matter what. It is an honest
piece that gives both parties their due without feeling the need to worship at
the feet – or wheels – of either.
★★★★☆
