Une merveilleuse histoire du temps

What a wonderful accomplishment of a film by James Marsh (Man on Wire) who brings such depth and beauty to the life/love story of Stephen and Jane Hawking. The film is adapted from her novel on their life and brings forth much of the love and tenacity necessary to care for and love someone going through great physical struggles over time. Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones give fantastic and intimate portrayals of Stephen and Jane during their courtship and lives together. My vote for best film at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. In Q&A after film James Marsh told a great story about Stephen Hawking's reaction to the film where he gave the response that it was in "largely genuine"... and Eddie Redmayne said that Stephen Hawking after viewing the film allowed them to use his actual "voice" instead of their approximation for the film that they had produced. The most touching was that Hawking had tears to be wiped away after viewing which will give to you a sense of how genuine this film is.

I've read scientists are turned off by this film for its omissions, simplifications, falsities, and other failures to explain Prof. Hawking's theories. I can understand that, being a law specialist who can't watch law dramas. But if you're not a cosmologist or a physicist you should not be discouraged by the film's failure to give you enough detail for a two credit course. It's a good drama of people, a bit schmaltzy as befits the facts, and in that regard I understand it's pretty accurate, and is definitely well acted and directed. Also a nice glimpse of what Oxbridge life was like in the 1950s. As they say, the male lead is Oscar bait.

"There should be no boundary between human endeavour," Stephen Hawking explains during a press conference. It is this line that strikes a chord at the very centre of James Marsh's incredible biopic on one of the most brilliant scientists of our time. The Theory of Everything is not just a story about the science behind the beginnings of our universe, but the science of love; and how life's challenges that we face everyday, shape who we are and what we achieve. Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones turn in phenomenal performances as the revolutionary Stephen Hawking and his former wife Jane Wilde. Eddie's mentally and physically challenging role, displaying Hawkings brilliance and motor neuron disease, are extremely commendable and impressive (a sure fire for a Best Actor nomination at next year's Oscars). On the more sensitive side, Felecity displays the endless love and powerful fight Jane brought to the Hawking household. As the years pass, their lives are changed tremendously in very profound and heart-wrenching ways. The movie does not shy away from making Hawking a complex character, as well as Jane, showing both their positive and negative sides. I really liked that the movie was able to shape them into fully well-rounded characters despite the "romance" aspect of it. The score for the film is tremendous.. absolutely outstanding! It hits all the right marks, brings upon emotions right when you are on the verge of tears, leaves you in awe after a beautiful monologue, and finishes with a melancholy but very fitting tone. The script and directing were top-notch.. right up there with the best... and the cinematography? give that guy an award already! A masterpiece to watch. While some critics may be quick to judge how the film focuses more on the romance rather than the science that made Hawking so renowned, I believe that the love is what made him who he is today. Human endeavour is endless... Stephen never gave up hope, nor did Jane... and though their lives ended up in different places, it was their years together that displayed to us how a little bit of hope can go a very, very long way.

Verdict: A beautiful story that shows how time and love are limitless... no beginning, no end (despite his earlier hypothesis). *****

In Theatres: November 7th, 2014 (USA), January 2, 2015 (UK)

We are all familiar with the story and with Steven Hawking. His groundbreaking work 'A brief History of Time' and devastating disabilities propelled him irrevocably into the public consciousness and immortal fame.

But few of us could understand the complexities of his personal life and the shocking divorce in 1990 from his long sacrificing wife of more than 25 years. Indeed that episode served to darken his reputation in the minds of many, including myself, who felt ill at ease with anyone who could leave a partner who had done so much for him just at the long awaited moment when international fame and recognition finally arrived.

This wonderful production, so well scripted and paced throughout, serves to explain that vital anomaly in Hawking's life. And it is made all the more poignant as it is based upon the account written by his wife who has borne so much.

But it is the breathtaking performance of Eddie Redmayne as Hawking that simply blasted this film into an extraordinary level. It is difficult enough to mimic so famous a person as Hawking and it is even more difficult to portray so accurately the debilitating and gradually increasing effects of Motor Neuron Disease. But to transmit so clearly the profound emotions and inner suffering that Hawking must have experienced in his agonizing journey was a performance that left me quite speechless and at times in uncontrollable tears.

It would be a travesty of the industry if Eddie Redmayne is not nominated for an Oscar after this performance. And to my mind it was a work of art that simply cannot be equaled let alone beaten.

Have a good handkerchief ready to hand.

This film is highly recommended.

You can certainly tell it's Oscar time when all the more dignified and personal projects inundate the movie houses in hopes of capturing the gold. For most of the other nine months, we get lesser efforts and big blockbuster spectacles to fill-in until late October arrives. Then, it's time to get serious about our cinema choices. The Theory of Everything is one such film. It carries its pedigree with style and class, even if it is a rather conventional biopic in disguise, with its main character suffering through a debilitating disease while finding the stamina to go on.

With a very literate screenplay by Anthony McCarten and accomplished direction by James Marsh, the film tells the story of famed scientist Stephen Hawking and his battle with ALS. It also concentrates on his relationship with his supportive and loving wife, Jane.

Love will conquer all. Or so it should. But the horrors of this disease and the hardships they face seem unsurmountable. We see the couple meet, fall in love, marry, have children, and grow weary of each other. Stephen achieves adoration, fame, and fortune while Jane takes a back seat to her caregiver role and bringing up the family, amid the tears and frustration they face on a daily basis. One immediately empathizes with these characters due to their tragic situations.

The two leads are splendid and their acting is peerless. Felicity Jones plays Jane. Her role may be less showy and far more understated, but the actress is perfect at showing Jane's endurance and strength in the subtlest of ways. Eddie Redmayne is Stephen Hawking and his performance is literally trans-formative. (He must have learned his craft from tons of research about Hawking and creative influence from Daniel Day Lewis.) This is an impressive physical performance, from his black horn rimmed glasses to his walking cane and distorted posture. Both will receive well-earned accolades for their memorable work. Fine supporting work by Charlie Cox as Jonathan, their loyal friend, and Simon McBurney as Stephen's father add more clarity to the film.

As with most biographical films, one sees the rise and fall of the protagonist before it arrives. This film follows that tries-and-true formula. But Marsh's direction compensates for the linear structure and predictability of the story. The director relies heavily on his actors' subtle actions to tell more about their characters than the mere words they speak. He also wisely shows Hawking's point of view by angling the camera range from a lower stance or keeping it stationary to reinforce the characters' immobility. The final scene, recapping Hawking's life in reverse, beautifully sums up Stephen's life full circle in the most visual of terms.

But The Theory of Everything is foremost a love story. The film desperately wants to be a crowd-pleaser with an uplifting message of inspiration, even when the reality and truth of their actual lives is bleaker than it appears on screen. The film glosses over some factual content to play up the human drama of this pair of young lovers. It skillfully manipulates its audience to wallow in the heartbreak. Director Marsh successfully capture the pangs of young love and bittersweet romance in this emotionally involving film.

The Theory of Everything is an immensely satisfying film with stand-out acting and skilled direction. The proof is right there on the screen, even if the facts are slightly askew. GRADE: B+

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