The Theory of Flight
Tags: romantic

Plot synopsis:
Richard (Branagh), an unsuccessful artist who builds primitive flying machines, attempts to fly from the roof of a London office building wearing homemade wings but fails, instead crash-landing and only being saved by a rescue squad. As a result of his actions Richard is sentenced to community service, in the form of caring for Jane (Bonham-Carter), an ill-tempered, wheelchair-bound woman who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and has run off her previous caretakers.
Over time, Richard and Jane become friends, and eventually Jane asks Richard to help her find someone to lose her virginity to, explaining that she doesn't wish to die a virgin. Reluctantly Richard helps her search for an appropriate partner, while spending his free time building yet another experimental flying machine. Eventually the two settle on a high-priced male gigolo (Ray Stevenson) for Jane, who agrees to sleep with her for two thousand pounds. As neither of them have that amount of money, they conclude that Richard must rob a bank to secure the needed cash.
Richard books a hotel suite for Jane and pays the gigolo five hundred pounds, promising the rest later. As Richard leaves for the bank job, the gigolo lays a very nervous Jane on the bed, but she begins panicking and decides she no longer wants to go through with it. Meanwhile, Richard likewise changes his mind, drawing his gun in the bank but then fleeing immediately, calling Jane's name. He returns to the room and drives off the unhappy gigolo.
Richard and Jane are seen successfully taking a flight in Richard's flying machine, although it breaks apart on landing. The pair are then seen in bed, implying that Richard has taken Jane's virginity. Jane dies soon after, and the film ends with Richard placing a commemorative sign honoring Jane's memory on the wreckage of his flying machine.

Review: The driving force in the movie is no doubt Jane, a young woman who faces the fact that she shall die soon.
(Bonham Carter) I am a veteran of pictures which feature a dying character with a physical disability.
But those films somehow never got the character to seem like a person.
Another beautiful quality of the film is Jane refuses to be mushy and over-emotional.
Branagh's character Richard should not be overlooked.
Jane brought Richard's redemption.
"Taking flight has more than one meaning"..Jane utters to Richard.
"The Theory of Flight" is an original movie which I recommend to anyone looking for a fresh look on a dying person, whether you see the dying person as Jane or Richard..
Not wishing to give *anything* away here, I would just say this technically excellent, flawlessly acted and uplifting little flic will reward the viewer with an excellent hour and a half's entertainment: It will amuse, surprise, possibly embarrass occasionally and almost certainly tug at the heartstrings from time to time, as it approaches the inevitable, but not obvious, ending without becoming clichéd or predictable in any way.
Most definitely recommended.A previous User's Comment gives 8 out of 10 for the film and 10 out of 10 for both Branagh and Bonham-Carter's outstanding performances - I agree entirely.....
This film does a superb job of depicting the plight of an ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)sufferer.
Helena Bonham Carter is so convincing as a person with ALS that I found it hard to believe that she was only acting.
Kenneth Branagh, a superb actor, lives up to expectations as the quirky artist who misbehaves and is forced to provide companionship to Helena's character as part of his "community service", an alternative to prison time.
The sentimentality does occasionally threaten to choke it, but it's overcome by the playing of the two leads.It's easy to win plaudits just because you're playing a physical or mental cripple (Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Dustin Hoffman, etc.), and Helena Bonham-Carter may not quite capture the physical degradation of MND, but her vocal stretching and ruthless emotional drive compensate entirely.
Awards must surely follow, though not, alas, for this fine performance.Branagh, one feels, has never quite given his best on film (except possibly 'Hamlet', and there his playing was diluted by the large cast).
This is surely his finest performance yet - so why could he not produce the goods much earlier?As a film, it looks more like a television offering, and without its stars it probably wouldn't amount to very much.
If you're looking for a film about slightly offbeat characters outside the mainstream of society and how they help each other, this would be a good choice..
Worth seeing for Bonham Carter's performance..
Although this movie has some weaknesses, it is worth seeing.
I chose it because of the cast, and applaud Bonham Carter and Branagh for choosing roles different from those they have taken in the past.
Bonham Carter's "Jane" is a remarkable achievement, whose quest for romance opened my eyes to aspects of being disabled that I had not thought of before, but was interesting as well for other reasons.
I felt the movie ended too abruptly, but better that than a drawn out emotionally manipulative ending (see "Stepmom.")  The very real English setting added to my enjoyment - it was England in the 90's, both urban and rural, without being depressing..
Shamefully, before I saw this film, I was unfamiliar with Helena Bonham Carter.I had to do some research, in order to assure myself she wasn't actually afflicted, as was her character, with (well?), what she was afflicted with.
She pulled it of flawlessly.Who would have thought that sexually explicit circumstances involving the final wants, and needs, of a unique young lady, could be interpreted as tender, and romantic?
Well, they can be, when the right performers present them in the proper manner, as they did in this wonderful movie.
I forgot to mention how dynamically beautiful Miss Carter looked in this movie.
American style movies, you look forward to seeing one from Europe that does not deal much with the art's technological aspects but the story and the feelings alone.
I have thought that "The Theory of Flight" was a film of emotions and atmosphere.
The characters were not deeply analysed maybe, or the situation of being "cripped" was mentioned better in other films (remember "My Left Foot").
minute of the movie, we have learned that Jane was desiring to lose her virginity like normal people.
How about Richard's own problems, Anne's point of view on having a daughter like Jane?
In fact, we don't understand Jane's feelings, too.
We just make guesses depending on our knowledge of other movie characters.
I finally must say that seeing K.B. and H.B.C. together in a movie was nice.
But as a whole, "The Theory of Flight" is a shallow movie.
From the minute I saw Helena Bonham-Carter, I said to myself : Oh!
My Left Foot was a John Ford alike movie and this one is a Chaplin alike movie (not because this is funny, but Chaplin at that great sense of melodrama that brings tears to your eyes.) I was right because in 1990 handsome Daniel Day-Lewis turn a little bit ugly by playing an crippled person and he did it with a great sense of reality.
Here, very beautiful Bonham-Carter did exactly the same thing, but with very feminine emotions.
For me, miss Bonham-Carter gives one of the greatest woman's part of the 1990's, with Emily Lloyd in Breaking The Waves.
She's also a true talent, as seen on many other movies.
Kenneth Branagh is one of my favourite actors having seen some of his work in Dead Again & Mary Shelley's Frankenstein his performance was both clever and incredible.
Helena Bonham Carter's portrayal of Jane a young woman dying from motor neurone disease was touching and heartfelt, you see the character go through the difficulty of the illness and sympathize with the situation.When I saw this film I began to enjoy it after the first few minutes it was funny, heartbreaking and a little romantic.
One of my favourite scenes was when Jane asked for help to lose her virginity, the expression on Richard's face was hilarious and yet stunned.The Theory Of Flight is a charming story filled with enough comedy, drama and the right amount of romance to keep viewers entertained..
I had my doubts about another love story wherein disabled individuals find meaning and redemption through honest communication.
But the performances from Helena Bonham Carter and Kenneth Branagh and exemplary, almost stunning, and rescue this from being just another tear-jerker.
The story of the film centres around Jane a young woman in the last stages of MND and the friendship that grows between her and Richard, a man on the verge of a breakdown.
This could have so easily been a dull and worthy piece but it is so humorous, humane and lacking in sentimentality that it wins you over completely and against the odds is a feel good movie.
The acting from Branagh and Bonham-Carter is superb especially the latter who is always believable and strong in her role.
Flying here is a symbol for both Richards and Janes living life to the full so that one can carry on and the other can face the end.
A beautiful and funny movie that I would recommend to anyone.
I'm a fan of Branagh, even more his Shakespeare' films, and, in the beginning, I saw it only for this...
This film starts with advantages few have:Branagh plays Hamlet here, a role and achievement at world class level.
Bonham-Carter plays a role with her eyes, of which she is among the very best, perhaps the best alive.
Richard (Kenneth Branagh) is a dreamer who tries an unpowered flight off of a London building.
He is given Jane Hatchard (Helena Bonham Carter) to care for.
The wheelchair-bound sex-obsessed Jane suffers from Lou Gehrig's Disease.
Richard helps to find a gigolo for her.This is set up for a pretty simple feel-good movie.
Also Jane's speech impediment prevents the jokes from getting the right timing.
If Richard is wackier, this movie could be more fun..
I just finished watching The Theory Of Flight.
This movie is only worth watching for the chemistry between the two leads.
Other then that, this movie goes to the silly side way too often, and loses its beat.
Don't be surprised if Helena Bonham-Carter receives another Oscar nomination for her work in this film..
also, the movie progresses into something better towards the end and actually does make a point.helena bonham carter also surprised me with her character.
the only thing that surprised me even more was branagh's character...this was a triumph of acting, the movie itself is nothing unique.see if you are an acting student...if you're looking for pure entertainment you can skip this one.
I thought I should drop my 2 cents in considering all the other reviews were lauding the exemplary talents of Branagh and Bonham-Carter.
No doubt these two are fabulously wonderful actors, and I'd rather watch them in schlock than Jennifer Love-Hewitt in anything, but am I the only one just a little skeeved out by this story?
I guess this is a true story, though I can't seem to find any evidence to the truth, except for that last tribute page at the end of the film.
Kenneth Branagh's performance came close to stealing this movie from Helena Bonham Carter, but their strong chemistry together made for a much more enjoyable movie.
Carter's star turn here as a disabled young women seeking to complete herself was as good a performance as I have seen from a female lead in a long time.
Portraying a disabled person is hard to pull off, but with basically only her eyes to show her pain about her situation in life, she made it so believable.
If this movie had come out after the current wave of movies with beautiful women "uglying" themselves up for roles (Charlize Theron, Halle Berry), I fell sure Carter would have had strong consideration for an Oscar.
This movie truly captures the feeling of freedom.......and what the freedom of your own integrity is worth....in the most delightful, light-hearted way.
And this movie is truly about finding love and knowing one has found it and that it totally changed one's life.It is one of my all time favorites......not easy to find but worth the hunt.........I guarantee you will watch it more than once!.
See it for Helena Bonham Carter..
Helena Bonham Carter is the center of this movie.
The movie itself was good not exceptional.
If you are a Helena Bonham Carter fan it is worth seeing..
Carter's performance is good but the script has problems.
The Theory of Flight has a good performance from Bonham Carter but in a underdeveloped role.
Too much of Branagh's character.
Her "My Left Foot" the movie is not.
A movie that was more about Carter's character would have been better because her performance is so good that it deserved the Oscar buzz it received.
Because the movie is not about her however and is so focused on Branagh's unbalanced but not as interesting character the movie is basically just OK rather than being a film like My Left Foot.
The direction from Greengrass has some interesting moments but a lot of time there is just too much overdoing of scenes with Branagh..
i thought this movie was really really great!
I thought she played her character very well!
:)the movie was also really funny too!
An emotive, beautiful masterwork from Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter.
I love Branagh, love Helena Bonham-Carter, loved them together in "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" - but THIS -I can understand an actor's desire to stretch, to avoid the romantic stereotype.
Well, they did, but really - the script droned on, Bonham-Carter's clothes were tres chic, and the occasional speeded-up "madcap" sequence could have been an outtake from a Beatles' movie, or the old Rowan and Martin Laugh-In.I never got the point - other commenters say the Branagh character was a dreamer.
Certainly not amusing.Bonham-Carter's realistic (one supposes) attempts as realistic speech were harder to understand than the first 15 minutes of Lancashire accent in "Full Monty."The poetic ending, with him high on a hill with her buried under the monstrosity of his airplane was too orchestrated.
The main difference between Richard (Kenneth Branagh) and I - in 1998 - is that I'd have given Jane (Helena Bonham-Carter) what used to be called "a good seeing to" in a remote shed in Wales in the late evening without any hesitation - as she is obviously gagging for it and nobody's about.She's shown in a care institution watching space age crash dummy porno films with a realistic panting and moaning audio track.
That's why only gay directors and gay leading men thrived in the theatre.Anyway this is a great, English 'will the young man ever work out where to put his penis ?' film in which Richard's chances of ever leaving the ground in a pile of old scrap metal are about as likely as Jane's are to get him to politely insert a working dildo with a new set of batteries into her willing vagina - or even have the straightforward ingenuity to hot-wire it from the battery on her three-phase, space-age, wheelchair.But I'm not going to spoil the magic "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid - 1969" moment where one of them admits "I've never shot anybody before !
The rumour that I get any residual on Netflix and Amazon viewings is laughable, but possible.When a strange kind of aeronautical intimacy is finally achieved you will understand why the Civil Aviation Authority and British Airways Flying Club doesn't let Ken Branagh and Helena Bonham-Carter up in real aeroplanes in googles and leather helmets - however much they get paid for acting.Children in those days were very naughty - well into their thirties.
A wheelchair-bound young woman Jane Hatchard(Helena Bonham Carter)is teamed with a reluctant caregiver, Richard(Kenneth Branagh).
Richard is an artist that daydreams of human flight.
He wants to resurrect his own troubled life by taking care of the independent, dying Jane, who suffers from an neurological disease that has all but left her speechless and very little motor skills.
She offers herself to Richard, who won't help her directly; but is willing to rob a bank in order to pay a gigolo to do the deed.
That is, good in parts.The good: enjoyably twisted and unsentimental approach to disability, good acting (probably Branagh's best work in a questionable film career), some interesting images (Branagh in flying goggles!) and a cinematic sense unusual in Brit cinema.
First seeing Helena Bonham Carter in the chair was a bit of a "black and white minstrels" moment, although I think she overcame it with a fine, tough performance.We never believe Branagh's plane really flies, although I guess as it's mainly intended symbolically that doesn't matter too much.All in all, much better than one would have expected, even if it didn't quite hang together as a movie.
I caught the beginning by chance and stayed up to watch till the end so I guess that's a recommendation.
Loser Richard is sentenced to community service and becomes a visitor for Jane, a young woman who in the last stages of Motor Neurone Disease.
Potential spoiler: Richard and Jane develop a friendship that is tested when HBC asks that KB assist her in her plan to lose her virginity.
I was pleased that this movie attempted (in the main) to deal seriously with the issue of disability and sexuality.
I think the overall impression was that we should not think of those who use wheelchairs as mentally challenged or not sensual.It bugged me that an intelligent and web-literate woman like Jane had not researched her enterprise better or even acted on it independently.
This damaged the positive images by making her more helpless.Also, the cynical feel-good ending left me cold.
I was annoyed that Richard's life became the primary cause for concern - but maybe that was the key flaw in the whole movie.
The character of Jane (and HBC's performance) were the highlights.Happy to discuss..
Richard, whose relationship with Anne apparently ended badly, decides to relocate to a rural area where he finds a place in the country with a large barn he plans to use to construct his own plane.Richard ends up trying to help Jane Harchard reluctantly.
What Jane loves to do is to lose her virginity, at any cost.
Jane and Richard clash as they meet, but a mutual tolerance soon makes them comfortable with one another.Jane, who watches porn on her computer, has a notion for finding someone like Richard Gere in "American Gigolo", who will, for a fee, have sex with her.
When Richard takes her to London, they find the right man for the job.
Unfortunately, things don't go according to plan when Jane realizes that she can't go through with what she had wanted.
At the end, Richard takes Jane for a ride in his crudely built plane for the thrill of her life, something that brings them closer, as they find an affinity with one another.Peter Greengrass directed this quirky film which presents an unusual situation.
Jane is clearly not the romantic heroine in mainstream films, and yet, she has such a sweet aura about her that is hard not to feel for her and what she is trying to accomplish.
The movie doesn't try to be cute or give a rosy picture of a young woman afflicted with an incurable disease.Helena Bonham Carter is the main reason for watching the film.
She makes a wonderful Jane.
Gemma Jones has some good moments as Anne, Richard's former love."The Theory of Flight" shows a good director.