Grand Performance by Redmayne

Rating: Null/10 (21 January 2015)

The Theory of Everything (2014)
*** (out of 4)
Tender drama about the trying relationship between Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and wife Jane (Felicity Jones) as tragedy strikes their lives early when Stephen is diagnosed with a neurological disease that will soon take away his ability to move and talk. Stephen is given two years to live but plans on using his mind to get as much done as possible with the assistance of his wife.
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING is a story that a lot of people are going to know very well but I will admit that I knew very little about the subject, his life or his work. I pretty much went into the film not knowing what to expect in terms of the story and there's no question that the work this man has done is quite remarkable. Not only is his work remarkable but the fact that he's overcome all of these obstacles is something amazing.
As far as the film goes, I thought there were certainly some flaws along the way but there's no doubt that it features some of the greatest performances of the year including Redmayne who turns in one of the most memorable performances in decades.
While watching Redmayne, I couldn't help but think of silent star Lon Chaney. Chaney was known for not only his make-up effects but the various ways that he could deform his body and play a wide range of characters. Watching Redmayne pretty much cripple himself from one scene to the next was amazing to watch. In fact, it's hard to take your eyes off of him with the various twitches in his body and the way the actor pulls it off.
There's no a single frame here where you feel like you're watching an actor. It really does seem as if you're watching someone battle this disease. Once the character loses the ability to speak, there's a sequence where Hawkings breaks down and it's an incredibly powerful sequence. Jones is also extremely good in her supporting, not-as- flashy role. She perfectly brings a certain toughness to her character that obviously she would need to survive the entire ordeal. Emily Watson, David Thewlis and Charlie Cox all add wonderful support.
The film also contains some great cinematography and a very strong, emotional score.
As I said earlier, there were certainly some flaws in the film including the opening twenty-minutes, which I thought were rather weak. It really took me a while before I warmed up to the characters and the story but things certainly pick up once the illness hits. THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING still features one of the strongest performances you're going to see and that's reason enough to check the movie out.