Monday 2 February 2015

The Theory of Everything

Hello lovelies!

So yesterday my lovely boyfriend took me to see The Theory of Everything, and there's really only one word to describe it: AMAZING.



I'd wanted to see the film as soon as I heard about it, but if you haven't seen it and don't know what it's about, I'll try and give you a brief overview...

The film is a biopic of Professor Stephen Hawking's life, starting with his days as a PhD student at Cambridge University in the early 1960s and ending with his visit to Buckingham Palace. Based on the real Jane Wilde Hawking's memoir, Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, it tells the story of how Stephen (played by Eddie Redmayne) and his wife Jane (played by Felicity Jones) dealt with the heartbreaking news that he had developed motor neurone disease and was given a prognosis of just two years. They do not let these huge obstacles defeat them and go on to get married and have three children, and Stephen continues to study the concept of time and gains many awards for his work. Help arrives in the form of the church choir leader, Jonathan, who also provides an intriguing sub-plot in which we learn that he lost his wife to leukemia and is happy to help Jane out, which consequently results in a love-triangle situation and some doubts concerning Timothy, the youngest of the Hawkings' children. Eventually, Jane decides that she can't do it on her own any more, and enlists the help of Elaine, who also contributes to the romantic sub-plot. We later see not only the deterioration of Stephen's physical abilities, but also the deterioration of his relationship with Jane, although thankfully there is no bitterness between them. 

Both Redmayne and Jones act incredibly well in this film. I am no critic, but I think Redmayne's portrayal of Stephen is perfect; it wasn't over- or under-acted in any way and he certainly threw himself into the role to get it just right. This is particularly evident in the scene when he falls and is taken to hospital, just before being diagnosed. I also think that Jones does an excellent job of reminding us that while dealing with motor neurone disease is unbelievably hard for Stephen, it also takes its toll on Jane, who fights as many day-to-day battles as her husband. 

I'm not going to lie: I cried when I watched the film. A lot. So you MUST take tissues with you if you're going to see it. I'm quite an emotional person but even my other half admitted he welled up on one occasion (and although he can be quite a soppy person - not that I'm complaining - he doesn't cry easily)! 

On a side note, I think it's incredible that Professor Hawking has achieved so much, both before and after his diagnosis, and in terms of scientific and personal achievements, and I believe he is a true inspiration to us all. 

Overall, the film strikes just the right balance in terms of the attention given to the academic and personal highs and lows of Stephen's life, and it certainly deserves the numerous award nominations. I can confidently say that it is a must-see film! 

Let me know if you like this style of post and if you'd like to see more of them in the future! 

Lots of love, 


Fliss xx

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