Rent The Theory of Everything (2014)

Disappointing, Irritating, Inaccurate, Over-rated. Americanised Biopic - The Theory of Everything review by PV

One thing REALLY annoyed me about this film: the use of modern and American language spoken by characters in the 1960s and 70s. People in the UK did NOT say 'all good' in 1963, and nor did they say 'I like to shop' (they said I like shopping). Pronunciation too - the stress on formidable is on the first syllable NOT the Americanised stress later on in the word. These things matter!

But then, this is aimed squarely at a USA audience. Hawking is world famous (largely because of his disability, it has to be said) and a household name. Thus the movie serves up exactly the sort of 'becoming a winner against the odds' story the Americans so adore.

The cinematic tropes are American too - yet again, the slow handclap rising to huge applause one sees in FAR too many Hollywood movies (and accurately satirised all those years ago in Comic Strip's The Strike). And of course the Americans love idea that all Brits are posh and upper middle class like David Niven (or Colin Firth, Daniel Day Lewis, Eddie Redmayne) and they adore the royal family so get the scenes in the palace in quick at the start of the film. UK film makers (and TV drama makers) pander to that international taste - and the UK film/TV industry is much worse for it too.

Did Redmayne deserve an Oscar? Well, I have long thought that 1) Academy voters vote for the person portrayed perhaps more than the actor doing the portraying, and 2) the Academy voters always vote for any actor playing someone with a disability especially if they also age (eg My Left Foot, and this years Dementia best actress Oscar too, and Matthew M for Dallas Buyers Club - another mediocre movie - when Leonardo di Caprio should have been a clear winner for the Wolf of Wall Street).

So all in all, not a bad movie but now a great one either. Hence, 3 stars max.

Excellent! - The Theory of Everything review by VB

The acting was the best it could be, especially Eddie Redmayne, the story well told, and overall well portrayed (that is, the settings, and 60s portrayal) . I think my husband was a bit reluctant to watch this film but he was very happy with it, it surprised him. We thoroughly enjoyed this film.

I don't agree with another person who says that Oscars are often given to people portraying people with a disability as it somehow fails to acknowledge the talent of the actor. I still haven't seen My Left Foot, but found Eddie Redmayne's work excellent. Having said that, if you are able-bodied it must be very hard to stay in a heap and portray increasing disability as in this case or permanent disability (I think, for My Left Foot).

Good acting but that is it. - The Theory of Everything review by JD

Eddy Remayne was rightly lauded for his amazing portrayal of Steven Hawking as he became increasingly disabled with Motor Neurone Disease. The film is otherwise full of plot holes and inconsistencies. I understand that the film is actually about Jane Hawking which may explain some of these, but I agree with other reviewers that this seems to be a film reaching out to an American market. As I recall they even refer to his disease by the American term ALS.

An excellent & emotional film looking at the life of Stephen Hawking, one of the greatest minds ever - The Theory of Everything review by TB

Stephen Hawking was a legend in many ways. Known for his incredible intelligence, easy accessibility in terms of his ideas & the way he expressed his thoughts, he was an indelible part of British life. Alongside this, he was one of the most visible & well-known disabled people in the UK. This film looks back at his life story & the staggering hurdles he had to conquer in order to live & survive, as well as the incredible role his wife Jane Hawking played keeping him alive & supporting him, even after the breakdown of their marriage.

We first meet the young Stephen Hawking when he is at Cambridge, having his first taste of freedom & being in the center of one of the most exciting & vibrant educational establishments in the world. He quickly meets & forms a relationship with Jane Wilde, who later becomes his wife. Hawking's incredible intelligence, academic brilliance & entire life are then changed when he receives the devastating diagnosis of early-onset motor neurone disease. Fearing that he has only months left to live, Hawking begin to retreat into himself & his work. We are also shown the desperation & determination of Jane to keep her husband alive and to give him a life worth living so that he can use his magnificent gifts to enrich the world.

The best thing about this film, which it manages to do almost effortlessly, is to perfectly balance both Stephen & Jane's stories/journeys. Jane in particular is in no way relegated to the back seat/given a minimal amount to do. The film absolutely gives her a strong & powerful voice, her love shining through. This also pays dividends as the pressure & stress of trying to keep her husband alive whilst raising their children & trying to live her own life begins to profoundly affect her, leading to the collapse of their marriage and a period of estrangement.

Stephen is shown as a courageous & determined man but, even though he was known for his emphatic privacy & refusal to discuss his disability with even Jane, you are also shown the real fear & upset that he goes through as the horrors of the disease he has ravages his body, even though his mind still has the extraordinary ability & intelligence he was known around the world for possessing.

The performances are excellent, led by Redmayne. The actor meticulously researched motor neurone disease as well as spending enormous amounts of time with not only the Hawking family but also other sufferers, to develop the level of knowledge required to be able to convincingly act the degeneration caused by MND. And as Jane, Jones is also wonderful, imbuing her with not only a love & determination, but also a vivacious personality & sexuality. Jane is no cardboard cutout of the stereotypical wife/carer, instead being a fully rounded & incredible woman.

Whilst it may be easy to compare this film to My Left Foot, and there are similarities in many ways, it is a film which stands on its own as a tribute to the power of love & the determination to, even in the worst of circumstances, live your life & achieve incredible things which change the world forever.

My right foot - The Theory of Everything review by NC

Well played by all. Only gave it 3 stars as the Imitation Game was a better film, and Daniel Day was better in My Left Foot. That performance made this one, and even Dustin in Rain Man, look like number 2/3.............................

Very moving, but.... - The Theory of Everything review by KJ

simply not scientific enough for me. Would love to have learned more about Hawkins the Scientist rather than the disabled man. But deeply touching never the less

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING - The Theory of Everything review by SM

A brilliant film that I sometimes found difficult to watch, very emotional. Eddie Redmayne was amazing.