Time...Incredibly Well Spent.

It was always going to take a rather special movie to bring me out of my 7month slumber. For this, I apologise. A gentleman never tells why he must suddenly swan off somewhere but the trial did take far longer than expected. 
And thus, we have one of January's biggest releases; The Theory of Everything. 
Prof. Steven Hawking is arguably the most prolific scientist of our generation. 
The Darwin of today. Deep Thought incarnate. But also a man who has defied the odds both physically and mentally. Images have always depicted him as a man forever bound to a chair with that iconic computer generated voice. A voice which Prof. Hawking did in fact kindly agree to let Director, James Marsh (Shadow Dancer, Man on Wire) have at his disposal to add a layer of authenticity to proceedings. Not to mention originality, otherwise we would've had to have been subjected to the next best thing which in La La Land means 'voiced by someone of educated stature' like Stephen Fry, which from what we've seen previously a la the revamped Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy in 2005, would have been all kinds of sucky wankpotts.

Eddie Redmayne. What a talent. 
He is incredible as the leading man. To see someone so young portray the deteriorating layers of a man in physical decline over the course of a 2hr film, across 40 odd years was breath-taking. Eddie gives himself entirely to the role without holding anything back at all. Biopics can be very tricky customers, especially if the story is about someone SO famous, that anything other than the real deal is a mere feable attempt at mimicing someone else's actions. I genuinely felt, particularly towards the latter part of the film, that I was watching a documentary...through a wormhole. Of sorts. The world should tip its hat to Redmayne; simply magnificent. 

His relationship with Felicity Jones (Jane Wilde/Hawking) in the movie thrashes your heart-strings about like your sat on a runaway roller coaster. As Stephen's motor-neurone disease continues to take its toll, coming to terms with his illness and remaining strong in the eyes of his peers and family shows such strength, which she portrays brilliantly as the altruistic English rose. Felicity deserves all the accolades on the planet in her own right as she deals with the invasiveness of the media and family pressures so honestly. Everyone in my vicinity just kept crying. That says a lot.


Other characters of worthy mention must go to Charlie Cox (Jonathan Hellyer Jones) who takes on the role of the church quoir leader turned 'other man'. He plays it with a vulnerability, completely non-judgmental in the face of what was a very difficut circumstance at home with the Hawkings, and you grow attached to him hoping that after all the help he offers them, that he would land on his feet. So, he eventually runs off with Stephen's wife. Classic. Harry Lloyd (Brian) also plays the professor's endearingly nitwitish best mate in entertaining fashion, and the great David Thewlis (Dennis Sciama) is the mentor who's playful banter and 'kick up the backside attitude' with Stephen gave insight into how the man behind the history of time, became the witty, ambitious man he is today.

We must also not forget the science bit. The numbers, time, big bang theories, etchings on blackboards of a language which genuinely looks Martian. Its all scripted so well that it appears almost completely understandable, regardless of whether you've seen 
Star Trek before or not. The language used, theories about the universe and the space-time continuum will grab your imagination by the balls and deliver Stephen's notions to you clearly enough to interest even the most simple movie goers. So, don't be afraid luddites.

My knowledge of Stephen and Jane's relationship was utterly amiss before embarking on this adventure into the life and times of the Hawking family. I had no idea they had children. Three children! I was unaware that it was Stephen who found love elsewhere before Jane. Who in their right mind has the audacity to turn down a knighthood from the Queen!?
The Theory of Everything is one of the most captivating, tear-jerking, inspiring films I have seen in recent years and the moment I got home, I was straight on the interweb to purchase my copy of 
his first book. One of his many notions included 'The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities' and if the British Film industry continues to produce amazing stories like the Professor's, we movie lovers are in for one heck of a ride.




PS Stephen's rowing sweater was dope.

The Theory of Everything receives 5/5 Macho Man Randy Savages for making it legit to like the second page of symbols on your smartphone.