Review - The Theory of Everything (2014)

Rating: 5/10 (15 February 2015)

Day Two of Cinemark's Oscar Movie Week brought us the illustrious life story of quantum theorist Stephen Hawking. His degeneration is unraveled with precision, but there's really not much else to make this a memorable film.
Hawking is portrayed by Eddie Redmayne, an actor who's deserved his chance to shine for a long time now. His performance is nothing short of beauty, especially considering the movie was filmed out of sequence. His ability to show the many stages of Hawking's illness is remarkably impressive. Felicity Jones' performance as Hawking's wife Jane is equally impressive as we watch her struggle to maintain her husband's condition.
Unfortunately, the rest of the film is not so adept. The film plays out like the very mathematical equations in which its subject envelopes himself. It almost feels like a TV movie in its formulaic sympathy. That's not to say it isn't a tragic story, but its telling did little for me.
For the first two-thirds or so, the film doesn't seem to know what it wants to be: A touching story of a seemingly doomed affair, or a bold statement on Hawking's theories. Ultimately it succeeds at neither, amounting to a light, safe, almost entirely forgettable romantic drama. Even the score, which has been winning countless awards this season, I found indistinguishable from any number of films of the same ilk.
I really hate the term "Oscar Bait," but if a movie were to define it, this would be the one. Its only salvation is the performances of its leads, who seem to be the only ones giving the film any heart.