A lot of people are comparing this story to The Imitation Game. Both feature Oxbridge students doing vastly clever stuff in the face of disbelieving dons, while discovering their own human failings, especially in the romance department. If it is a straight competition though this would win hands down. It has far more depth, far more of a sense of stake, is way better acted, and the script is superior. The real surprise is how funny it is too there are several really great comedic moments.
We all think we know the story of Stephen Hawking, but here we get all the gaps filled in. A brilliant academic, his career and life looks set to rise as high as the stars he gazes at so longingly at night, until he is diagnosed with incurable motor neurone disease. He has met the apparent love of his life, Jane, and fully expects her to leave him however she is made of sterner stuff. In terms of plot not an awful lot more happens that that their marriage is tested to the full as his body fails him, and finally his voice gives way, but the film remains riveting thanks to their fascinating relationship.
The real heart of the film centres around the difference between his and her beliefs. Jane is Church of England, sings in the choir and believes in a higher power. Stephen has come up with his theory of time, which appears to prove that there may indeed be a creator but not necessarily a god. Later he does a spectacular U-turn and throws his lot entirely in with physics, but does that leave any room for spirituality or, indeed, for poor Jane. If it sounds dry and academic it certainly isn’t. Their arguments and make-ups are played out with tremendous passion and humility, especially as his disease worsens. The religious symbolism gets a little heavy-handed at times, and one scene seems to contradict the entire previous hour of story, but in the end it just about gets away with its central problem
When Jane is run ragged with looking after Stephen and their children, her mother great cameo from Emily Watson suggests she joins the choir, to re-find her beliefs. She does, but falls heavily for the choirmaster (Charlie Cox), and her real challenge begins. Stephen actually appears to like his rival, but when they all go on holiday an event threatens to split them apart.
For such a thin plot the film packs in an awful lot arguments about why are we here, the nature of the universe, whether there’s a god in a thoroughly entertaining and engaging way. That’s in no small part due to the quality of the acting. Eddie Redmayne will probably walk off with a fistful of awards, and rightly so he never overdoes things, and as Hawking’s disease worsens his sense of humour and humanity increases. It’s truly amazing what he does with a flick of an eyebrow or a smile one scene has Jane telling him to behave himself on a trip, and his smirk is a truly wonderful moment. The film allows him one moment away from the nuts-and-bolts storytelling, a dream sequence right at the end, but it has probably just about earnt it by then.
If Redmayne is the star of the show everyone else is his equal, from David Thewlis as his proud don, to Maxine Peake as his speech therapist shades of My Left Foot here. Even Felicity Jones is fine, toning down her usual drip of water routine to deliver a performance of real passion.
Overall verdict: A tremendous piece of storytelling which covers up some of its problematic central themes with warmth, wit and some truly heavyweight acting. One to be savoured and cherished, like Hawking says, where there is life there is hope.
Reviewer: Tim Isaac