Wonderful Performances All Around

Rating: 9/10 (29 December 2014)

This movie is definitely worth seeing, if only for the performances given by the talented cast, led by Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. The performance that Redmayne gives blew me away. The physicality that he brought to the role was incredible. The way he made his lips twitch in the most subtle and effective ways was honestly captivating and he showed the pain of what Hawking went through in such a real way. I didn't know much of the story of Hawking's life going into the movie, so I didn't really know what Jones' role would be. However, her performance equaled Redmayne's in every way. Her pain was so real and the conflict she felt was evident and touching. I had tears in my eyes for the majority of the film. There were parts of the movie that bothered me slightly, such as the cliché way they showed Hawking getting his ideas and the sequence at the end where he imagines that he can stand. However, those small bits are quickly forgotten thanks to the incredible performances given by the actors. The awards recognition is well deserved and I hope that this leads to big things for both Redmayne and Jones.