Science has consistently changed meticulously for many years, in fact, that is the one thing that makes it so interesting for researchers and scientists. It is an ever-changing ectoplasm that challenges people to progress their thoughts as more revelations are made, discoveries are done and life forms are found. However, no scientist in history has had quite the story as one of the most reputable scientists in history, Stephen Hawking. No, this wasn’t just a tale of someone who challenged both science and religion simultaneously, but a man who defied death and stood tall against the greatest of odds.
The life of Stephen Hawking was biographed to with telescopic detail in The Theory of Everything.
How to Download The Theory of Everything
You can download the film from a digital store. You can also stream it. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like biographical films, check out also our reviews of Green Book or Elvis.
The Movie Review
The Theory of Everything gives us a deep and intimate look into the life of Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant minds to ever exist. It showcases how he went from being an astrophysics student to becoming one of the most history well-renowned authors as scientific researchers. It also depicts how Stephen begins to suffer from a motor neuron disease during the middle of his research. The disease is called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS for short. The doctors tell him he has two years left to live at maximum, and he sets out to mark himself in the pages of history.
Director James Marsh was previously known for Man on Wire, which was a quirky film about an obsessive artist. The Theory of Everything is not quirky, but rather quite emotional, though it shares the obsessive protagonist component with Man on Wire. The film depicts Stephen Hawking’s life from an intimate perspective, from the eyes of his love interest and eventual wife, Jane.
Through Jane’s eyes, we witness the downfall of Stephen as his health becomes worse and worse over the years, as he loses his ability to run, walk, and eventually even his ability to talk. However, while his physical form suffers, his mind begins to enhance as he makes larger discoveries at every turn of the moment and becomes more popular around the science world. The vulnerability between these two characters is what makes this film so intimate to watch, and that is mainly due to the performances.
Eddie Redmayne is a theatrical powerhouse, the man can essentially do anything. It was easily the best performance of 2014, it won the Oscar that year too.
The way that Redmayne changed his physical movements, the tonality of his voice, and even his facial expressions to match the late scientist was commendable to say the least. It was also one of the best performances that we’ve ever seen in a film. Then add Felicity Jones on top as a cherry, giving an absolutely career-best performance here and you have a recipe for success.
The Visuals
On top of that, the visual fidelity of this film is absolutely gorgeous. It looks breathtaking as every single shot is a painting in its own right. Cinematographer Benoît Delhomme realize that this intimate project needed extreme caution when filming, and he focused exactly on the characters. The way they move, the way they express themselves, and the way they speak – all of that comes on screen the most. Plus, it features some fantastic color grading to make the film look even better than it already does.
The Soundtrack
Finally, but also importantly, the soundtrack by the late composer Johann Johannsson is so beautiful that mere words cannot begin to explain it. There’s hardly a film out there that can challenge your emotions without a beautiful soundtrack, but this is that film, and yet it features one of the greatest film soundtracks of the modern era. At that point, wrist film just showed off how good it is with every aspect working in harmony to create a complete artistic vision unlike anything else.
The Verdict
There’s not much you can say about the Theory of Everything. In all honesty, this is a film that gets everything right. Nothing is left out, no components are forgotten, and no aspects of this film feel fuller than the rest. The harmony between every single element of filmmaking is what makes Theory of Everything such a soul-touching film.
