A Brief History Of Love

The Theory of Everything

Throughout each and every one of our lives we are faced with what seems like unwinnable situations. Sometimes it is lack of money and sometimes it is as life altering as an incurable disease. When faced with things like this, I believe it is the love of the people that surround us that helps us every day. I think most powerful help that is given is love. Love and support of those people can add years to a person’s life. This “theory” is proven in one of this year’s Academy Award nominated films about world renowned physicist Stephen Hawking and his first wife Jane. The Theory of Everything shows us that love is a very powerful tool.

Theory starts in 1963, while Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne Jupiter Ascending) is attending Cambridge University in search of his doctorate degree. While at Cambridge, Hawking meets Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones The Amazing Spider-Man 2), a student also in search of her doctorate, but in Spanish medieval poetry. The film follows the couple through the ups and downs of their marriage ranging from Hawking’s disease to his worldwide success.

This was a beautiful film. Everything about this film is aesthetically beautiful from the way it is filmed to the wonderful acting. Some movies about famous couples and their marriage like to paint one the bad guy and the ultimate cause of the marriage failing. Theory does not. The film follows this couple and never points fingers. Both of these people had a hand to play in the final outcome of their marriage and the writers and directors do an outstanding job showing the love and respect that these two have for each other.

Both of these leading actors are incredible in this film. Eddie Redmayne shows the audience magnificent range in portraying Hawking. Redmayne brings out a side of Hawking that most people may not realize that he has which is his sly sense of humor. Redmayne also does a great job (I apologize if this comes out wrong) showing Hawking’s progression of his disease. Along with that, Redmayne amazingly projects Hawking’s determination to not let his disease deter him from giving the world his theories and live as long as he can. Being a source of strength of Hawking was his wife Jane, who is brilliantly played by Felicity Jones. Jones gives Jane strength and confidence in her ability to help Hawking. Jones also illustrates a love of Hawking that is strong, but at times trying. Jane was a woman who loved her husband, but needed to feel like a wife and Jones portrays that inner struggle within Jane.

British director James Marsh (Shadow Dancer) is the man behind the camera for The Theory of Everything. As I had mentioned in the beginning of this opinion section, this is a beautiful film. Marsh does splendid things with the tone and colors of the film. Making the scenes of love between Hawking and Jane very soft and lightly colored, while the life changing scenes become a little darker in tone and color. Marsh also focuses on love and inspiration for the theme of this film. Never once giving blame to one or the other, Marsh only shows the audience that some people just need different things at different points in their life and still have the utmost respect for one another. 

Even if you are unsure of who Stephen Hawking is, this film is a wonderful love story. Director James Marsh conducts a beautiful symphony of love and science with Redmayne and Jones as his instruments. Surprised that Redmayne received a Golden Globe for this performance, but that is before I had the pleasure of viewing this film. Now that I have watched this movie, I understand if the Academy sees his brilliance as well. Now as for Jones and her nomination, I would like to go on record and say that I am still rooting for Rosamund Pike, but I will be just as happy if Felicity Jones is awarded as well.

The Verdict: Worth Your Time