Redmayne's remarkable turn carries this warm but simplified Hawking biopic.
Verdict tier Recommended, most critics liked it, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Critic consensus
Critical reception for The Theory of Everything is broadly positive, with most reviewers drawn to the lead performances, particularly Eddie Redmayne's physical transformation and portrayal of Stephen Hawking, alongside Felicity Jones as Jane. The film's music score and production values also drew consistent praise. The primary criticism, raised by multiple reviewers, is that the film softens or sidesteps the deeper scientific and emotional complexities of Hawking's life in favour of a crowd-pleasing, awards-oriented narrative. One dissenting voice found the film lacking the emotional and thematic depth that director James Marsh had demonstrated in prior work.
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Top critic
Film review ·
While it goes on to tick all the events in Hawking's life after this, we see neither the trauma of a man talking about the beginning, the end, and then the timelessness of time when counting days himself, or the bitterness of him fathoming the expanse of the cosmos trapped in a body restricted to a wheelchair. His deductions, derived after long, lonely and presumably agonising hours of work, are reduced to warm flashes of brilliance.
Top critic
Film review ·
For their performances alone, The Theory of Everything might be worth a watch. Evidently, this true-life story has been Hollywood-ized for awards recognition and mass appeal.
Top critic
Film review ·
The only bright spark in the film is the music by Johan Johansson, and although James Marsh showed tremendous hold of emotion and subject in his previous movies 'Man on wire' and 'Project Nim', the spark is sorely missed this time around.
Film review ·
A film as strongly scripted and impeccably executed as The Theory of Everything will be remembered for longer than Stephen Hawking's estimate of the end of time.
Film review ·
Even though the film is about a fulfilling marriage that finally fails, it never degenerates into negativity. The underlying message is that of hope, as put in words by the physicist himself, "While there is life, there is hope." We will toast to that.
Film review ·
For those expecting a science lesson though, this film provides only fleeting moments of diet-physics. Instead, the focus is on Hawking's emotional discoveries, his "simple, elegant equation to explain everything" - love, hope and human endeavour, balancing the sadness of 'If only' with the courage of 'What if...?' This movie reportedly made Stephen Hawking cry. Watch it. You'll see why.
Film review ·
The film boasts of skillful direction by James Marsh and an applause-worthy performance by star Eddie Redmayne, which is more than enough to keep you hooked throughout the film.
Film review ·
With top class production values and an impressive music score, the film hits the right notes on the technical front. When it comes to acting, it excels. Felicity Jones as the woman who stands by his side is first rate. But ultimately, this film belongs to Eddie Redmayne who has delivered an extraordinary performance. The physical transformation, right from the way he slumps in the chair, moves his hands, it is all very impressive.
Film review ·
The Theory of Everything is a noteworthy film that features stellar acting, combined with wonderful music and direction. It takes a heartbreaking yet inspiring story, and marvelously depicts it on the screen. Though it may not be the film for viewers who want a brutal biopic, it's still a film you can't afford to miss.
Film review ·
The film hinges on the masterly performances by its lead players. Redmayne's contortions don't come across as choreographed as he conveys the resolve of Hawking without making a show of it. Jones proves to be a credible foil as Jane. The rest of the cast are simply fillers to generate awe for the principal characters.
From our readers
16 ratings · user score 7.3
Redwayne nails it as stephen hawkings. Felicity jones is also great with everything working perfectly especially background music.
Anthony McCarten may have had plenty of headaches while writing this romantic drama under the disguise of a biography, because how large a gimmick is the story, the same goes for director James Marsh in building the setup. They should've had gone back in time, defying their subject scientist's theory, and pondered upon how to create an adaptation of a memoir which seems partly biographical and mostly a novella. I haven't read the memoir and nor do intend to, but the main problem with this apparently inspiring film is that it focuses more on the personal lives of Professor Hawking and his ex-wife. While that be it, the thing that fuels this problem into a wildfire is that the audience think of it as just not a romantic drama (like the synopsis suggests), but actually an upright biography about the cosmologist. To an extent, even director James Marsh (whose Oscar-winning doc Man On Wire, about Philippe Petit's daredevil act, failed to gather traction, so Robert Zemeckis is making a film) tries to sweep it off as a romantic drama. The ounces of insights into the professor's study and his theories can be found only in the background, thus nullifying the whole shindig. As a romantic drama, I started loathing few characters, which if I disclose who may cause you to loathe me as well; characters who can be found in a string of romantic dramas over the past decades. As a biography, which it sometimes pretends to be, The Theory of Everything shuns science which is ironic. Eddie Redmayne is fabulous, although he may slip by with only an Oscar nod, maybe. Felicity Jones is sweet and so were the supporting characters, who would have had bigger roles to act if this were not a genre confusing tide. The cinematography is fine, and so is the music, the latter of which tries to support the apparent inspiration inducing characteristic I was talking about. All said and done, the film never quite bores you, always engaging us with short sequences that describe as to what really happened since 1963. Had they exploited 5 minutes of the 120 minute narration to explain his disease, I would have jumped up in my chair. BOTTOM LINE: The Theory of Everything is a non-self-deprecating drama that takes its viewers on a canoe-ride into the lives of the great Stephen Hawking and second-rate Jane Hawking. A drama so good and a biography so bad that if I wanted to learn about the scientist's theories, I would reread his books.
Credits
Eddie RedmayneStephen Hawking
Felicity JonesJane Hawking
Charlie Cox
Emily Watson
David Thewlis
Frank Leboeuf
Harry LloydEnglish films like The Theory of Everything
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