REVIEW: The Theory of Everything

If I ever saw it, this is a beautiful film. The choices in the film were beautiful; the casting, music, filming, costumes, setting, all of it. The Theory of Everything inspires the idea of one unique equation which explains the universe and everything in it. Its simplistic nature is utterly perfect. It’s more than just science and more than just Stephen Hawking; the film is about the relationship between Stephen and Jane. By encompassing aspects of both their professional and romantic lives The Theory of Everything creates a unique life story.

(photo from Wonders Of The Universe, Professor Brian Cox)

Spotting each other across a crowded room at a party Stephen and Janes relationship has an incredibly endearing beginning. As it progresses their relationship is portrayed as one of equality. Jane a student in her own right, studies literature and has ambitions of her own. They fall in love together. And decide to face the illness together. Despite the fact, there is this man who evidently understands something bigger, something more, in the realms of physics. It is acknowledged that he is ignorant of some aspects of his relationship and romantic life.

In the film, the illness is never portrayed as a preventive thing. It doesn’t prevent children, discoveries and success of Hawking. I don’t know, and will never know Stephen Hawking but portrayed by Eddie Redmayne he shows a certain spark in his personality. His achievements are almost an act of purposeful defiance. The refusal to give up.

When watching this film there is one thing you must remember. Do not hate Jane. Towards the end of the film, their relationship begins to break down. It’s not enough. They still love each other but are just not in love. It’s easy to villainise one of the people in a broken relationship. Through the outstanding portrayal of Jane, by Felicity Jones, the film shows the strain on Janes life that the illness has. This prevents her becoming hated, as a relationship is implied with her friend Jonathan because it is clear that she has tried. That’s all you can ever ask of anyone. That they tried their best. Stephen wasn’t supposed to live so long and it is not Janes fault. He falls in love with his nurse and she falls in love with a man from church. Not in a seedy way at all. They change. People change.

There is a particularly powerful moment, in between many powerful moments, towards the end of the film where Stephen explains ‘However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope.’

Coming from Stephen Hawking, I think that’s pretty credible advice.

 -Sophie

Have you seen the Theory of everything? What did you think?