Superb

Rating: 9/10 (9 January 2015)

No sooner does graduate cosmolgist Stephen Hawking embark on his inspired and inspirational search for the scientific reasoning behind everything than he falls in love, and is diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease which, instead of killing him within the two years predicted, instead removes every element of his physical control over his body.
This biographical movie of Hawking's life is based on a book by his first wife, played here by Felicity Jones against Eddie Redmayne's Hawking. This films falls into two categories, both of which I am generally wary of: it is "worthy" (which often carries with it the unspoken addendum "and dull"), and it features what Robert Downey Jr's character referred to as "full retard" in Tropic Thunder ie. a portrayal of some sort of debilitating condition which often supercharges a performance in terms of being Oscar bait.
This is a story which is both inspiring and heartbreaking, often at the same time. It is often funny, often happy, just as often sad, and very moving. It doesn't concentrate on Hawking's MND (although this is, of necessity, a major part of his life story) but, instead, treats that as just part of the tale to be told of a man, his accomplishments, and his family.
Felicity Jones, a favourite of mine for some little while now, is very good here in a role which doesn't give her a lot more to do than be the straight man to Redmayne's turn as Hawking. This sort of set-up can overshadow the performance by the second fiddle (viz. Tom Cruise in Rain Man), but Jones does well without ever overdoing it.
But this is Redmayne's show. You have to acknowledge the physicality of the performance in terms of reproducing the effect of Hawking's MND but, for me, the real strength of his performance is in the shy confidence of the young Hawking, the subtlety and emotional conveyed despite facial contortion and no dialogue, and the joie de vivre which shines out from start to finish.
This film frequently brought me to tears. It is wonderful, and I recommend it.