The Theory of Everything

               If you had any doubts about Eddie Redmayne winning the Oscar this year, all you have to do is watch The Theory of Everything for a few minutes and you’ll understand why.  He does an incredible job portraying Stephen Hawking from the early stages of his illness to the advanced point it has become.  Such a debilitating disease must have been extremely difficult to portray and taken great acting ability to do so.  Mr. Redmayne’s performance, however, is not the only noteworthy performance of this film.  Felicity Jones, who plays Jane Hawking, also did an incredible job.  The difference is so much of what Ms. Jones did was subtle.  Her emotions and thoughts were shown with a small gesture, the tone of her voice, or a look that came across her face.  So much of what her character went through was internal and it was those little things that let the viewer know what was going on inside.  If someone weren’t paying attention they may miss these little things and not give Ms. Jones’s performance its due.  That would be a shame because she proves that quiet and steady is far more powerful than loud.

                While on the surface it may appear this film is only about Stephen Hawking, in actuality it is not.  The film is really about the relationship between Stephen and Jane.  How love helped them through decades of debilitating disease as well as Stephen’s drive to continue to be successful in the scientific world.  It’s also about how even when there’s love, things can fall apart; and when it does, what do you do afterwards?

                The film begins with Stephen (Eddie Redmayne) and Jane (Felicity Jones) meeting at a party.  Stephen has yet to receive his diagnosis, despite beginning symptoms, and his main concerns in life are getting to know Jane and his education.  He is especially enjoying his time with Jane, but when Stephen learns he has motor neuron disease and given only two years to live, he tries to push Jane away.  Jane is having none of this.  She is in love with Stephen and is determined they will be together for however long they may have.  I don’t think she ever expected it to be decades.

                Through those decades Stephen’s condition continues to worsen.  While some may have deep sit-down discussions about what is going on, Jane took a different tact.  When she saw something was becoming difficult for Stephen, she would quietly present a solution and let Stephen decide.  This method is probably what helped Stephen agree to Jane’s suggestions pretty quickly.  Instead of making a big deal over something or giving demands, she continued to give Stephen a freedom of choice; something his own body prevented him from doing.

                Unfortunately for Stephen and Jane, not everyone in their lives was so gentle.  Stephen’s family could be especially rough at times.  His father ordered Stephen to get additional help while his mother accused Jane of having another man’s child.  Of course Jane was appalled at this accusation.  While she did have romantic feelings for their family friend, Jonathan (Charlie Cox), who regularly helped out with Stephen, she did not act on the feelings.  Jane was dedicated to Stephen and I think Stephen’s family had a hard time understanding how that could be.  They underestimated Jane’s strength and ability to take care of Stephen in the best way she and Stephen saw fit.   

                Eventually Jane does need additional help.  For various reasons Jonathan is no longer able to be with them, and after a life saving surgery takes Stephen’s ability to speak, Jane needs someone more specialized to help care for him.  This is where Elaine (Maxine Peake) comes in.  She is a nurse who greatly admires Stephen.  Elaine admires him to a point that Jane starts to become concerned about Elaine’s feelings for her husband, and rightly so.  After years of marriage and three children, Stephen leaves Jane for Elaine.  Jane, who has sacrificed her entire adult life to her husband’s care, is left to wonder what to do next.            

                Right now I’m going to ruin something.  I’m going to tell you what happens to Jane in the end.  The reason I am doing this is because I am very happy with how her life turns out.  She marries Jonathan, the family friend who has loved her for so long but stayed away out of respect for Jane’s duty to her husband.  He waited for her, for years, until she was truly free for them to be together.  Once she was, they were both able to express their love for each other and Jane found the happiness she deserved.  

                Watching this film I was surprised at how quickly the time flew by.  The first fifteen minutes felt long and at that point I thought I was in for a long movie.  When I looked at the clock again, I was shocked to see half an hour had gone by.  It certainly had not felt like half an hour, but this happened again and again until the movie was over.  Somehow after the first fifteen minutes the movie flew.  That is how good it was.  Between the acting and the actual story, it was hard to turn away and before I knew it the credits were rolling.  A story about sacrifice and love not conquering all, it is a film everyone should definitely see.