Rent The Theory of Everything (2014)

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.

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).

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.

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

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.............................

Overview of a man with motor neurone disease not a biopic of Stephen Hawking. - The Theory of Everything review by Bullitt 68

Knowing very little of Professor Hawking's life this was interesting and easy to watch. It was nice to see such a loving, happy man before his diagnosis and that he remained the same mischievous character throughout his life. However I find it difficult to believe that an intelligent young man with such lust for life was always so calm and accepting of his disability. What made him so positive when many other men would have given up 'living' long ago?

The film hardly demonstrated his achievements or his work ethic and determination despite such a debilitating handicap. Instead it focused on the family man but, seemed afraid to peel back too much of his personalty so we felt that we knew much more of the man.

I fear if the world did not know who Stephen Hawking was, and this production was about someone else, then it would not be received so warmly; it relies on us to fill in the gaps in his life or to simply ignore them whilst we wear our rose tinted spectacles.

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.