The Theory of Everything is Everything You Wanted and More

Rating: 9/10 (18 January 2019)

Hit with the diagnosis of motor neuron disease, 23 year old Stephen Hawking was given a mere two years to live. Having survived another 5 decades, his health had large part to do with his first love Jane Hawking (well, Wilde). Based of Wilde's 2007 memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life With Stephen, The Theory of Everything has an ability for you to feel defeated and triumphant at the same time.
The film follows Stephen (Eddie Redmayne) and Jane (Felicity Jones) from their first encounter in college through the 30 years of marriage that was a extraordinary struggle for both parties. Stephen struggling more and more with his impending demise, Jane puts her education and future career on hold. Having to do all the care for not only their three children but for the physicist as well, Jane had issues from the beginning. Stephen pursued his worked, publishing two books in the span of the marriage. He had a better understanding of the universe, then his one wife's needs. When she pleaded for assistance in care taking of the family, Stephen pushed harder saying it was unneeded. When they both hit a breaking point they find a choirmaster from the church, Jonathan Hellyer Jones (Charlie Cox), that assists Jane in her daily duties for both Stephen and the children. He also stirs up emotions that are just another issue to the collapsing marriage. When Stephen finally gets a full time nurse, is the union is irreparable.
The Theory of Everything does something unexpected, if you heard the movie was going to be about a world renowned physicist, you would expect any love story to be thrown out the window. This film is different, you believe in the love between Stephen and Jane. Eddie Redmayne, most known for his part in Les MisÃ©rables, trades in his immense singing voice for a role with growing limitations. It may not have not been set in the ever dangerous French Revolution, but the role of the disease stricken physicist was extremely trying and it is showcased. Redmayne did remarkable work making you believe that he himself was struggling with ALS, but never stopped bringing the same joy and triumph from the beginning to the end, no matter how many words were spoken. Being extremely physically demanding, Eddie Redmayne did a incredible helping see the other side the renowned scientist; a loving husband and caring father.
Although the Theory of Everything is a modern film or artistry, it does have its downfalls. Throughout the film you see Jane struggle with everything she has done for the relationship, but you don't really see what Stephen did to help speed the impending demise. You start to hatred toward the lovely Jane because she just wants to live the life she wanted. She is loathed by the audience for merely trying to receive a life she deserves. Playing Stephen off as divine and not at all the cause of the forthcoming split. It takes two people and Jane and all she did for him was being taken for granted. In the end, you learn to appreciate the time they had together as if you were apart of their lives. You feel as if you are both happy and sad with how the way things turn out.
The script causes you to cherish the ability we have to communicate. As time goes on, Stephen slowly loses his ability to speak and express emotions, but the one person who was always there to interpret his words, thoughts, and feelings was Jane. As he lost the ability to function as a normal person and deprived of living his former life, Felicity Jones is magnificent in how she picks up the pieces and keeps up an outstanding performance.
The direction of the film is truly its holy grail. James Marsh, famous for is academy award winning documentary, Man on a Wire, truly knows how to make true stories feel as if you are in them. The use of close up and point of view puts you in the movie. When Stephen is receiving the devastating news, you see it from his point of view, looking at the doctor telling him he has limited time you see how everything else starts to become a large blur. You step out of the theater into the film and it leaves a lasting effect like no other. Marsh handles the instrumental task of not only somebody's work but they love and care it took to create it. All the devastations and all victories, you are placed in the world with them.
The Theory of Everything is extremely moving. You are placed into the movie and for two hours you live in a different time. It's heartbreaking and inspiring in how love conquers diagnosis and how a diagnoses can become the downfall to a relationship. Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones put on two marvelous performances that will not be forgotten.