The Theory of Everything (2014) – Review

Review: The Theory of Everything is an enchanting and inspiring love story and character drama.

The film is about theoretical physicist Professor Stephen Hawking and his wife Jane Wilde. The couple met at Cambridge, shortly before Hawking was diagnosed with motor neuro disease. They decided to get married, despite the uphill battle their relationship faced, with Hawking getting worse and losing more of his normal bodily function. They each achieved PhDs in their fields, but the film focuses more on Hawking’s work and Wilde’s struggle to keep herself together while having to dedicate herself to taking care of Hawking.

The Theory of Everything works on two narrative levels. On one hand, it is a very touching love story about two people who take the bad with the good to make a life together – and eventually part as friends. On the other hand, it is a character drama focusing on how each other them cope with the circumstances they face. For Hawking, he must face a life filled with moments of loss, as little by little, he will lose parts of himself (the ability to walk, speak and so on). For Wilde, she must face a life in which she becomes less of a wife and more of a caretaker, sacrificing in many ways her own life for his.

Director James Marsh does a good job with both of these narrative devices, structuring the film to take advantage of each. As a romantic drama, Marsh plays with the big moments in their relationship, focusing on their courtship. When Hawking was diagnosed (in the mid-1960s), he was given two years to live. Wilde seems to have been a big reason for him to not give up and keep going, even encouraging him to pursue his work and a full life. She is his strength. Marsh does a great job conveying that while their relationship is not perfect (but really, whose is) it is their deep friendship, beyond romantic love, that kept them together, despite the great obstacles they faced. Their love and friendship saved Hawking (or so the film might suggest).

On a character level, Marsh devotes a lot to developing these two characters, allowing the audience to see things from their perspectives, to feel what they feel. Hawking just wants to be normal (something that is very relatable), while Wilde gets worn down and just needs a life of her own. As Hawking’s condition worsens, raising the family and taking care of him fall solely on her. Plus, she does not have help of any kind for many years (professional or otherwise). Marrying Hawking she knew she is making a sacrifice and she goes into fully aware of what she is taking on, but time can and will wear down any resolve.

What I like about the film is that Marsh does not focus only on Hawking and his accomplishments, persevering in spite all the challenges he faced (and faces). It would have been easy for the film to take this narrative perspective. Hawking is, after all, the known entity. Instead, Marsh devotes just as much time to Wilde. Her emotional struggles and triumphs are given just as much dramatic weight. One might say watching this film that Hawking achieved what he has because Wilde was there to support him. Without her, he might not have done the things he has. It is a narrative theme that is not often explored in cinema – the importance of those behind the more famous people who achieve great things, especially when it comes to homemakers.

The Theory of Everything is a beautiful film because the audience is right there with the characters, feeling what they feeling, wanting what they want, and rooting for their success. Marsh structures the film to play to its dramatic strengths, which is emotionally manipulative even boarding on melodramatic at times, but in service of the narrative. The film is inspiring and charming.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: James Marsh is a very good director of documentaries, most notably Man on Wire (which is brilliant) and Project Nim. With his fictional feature films, he has not had as much success. The best of which prior to The Theory of Everything is probably his directed chapter of the Red Riding Trilogy (he directed Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1980). With The Theory of Everything, he combines his talent for telling true-life stories and garnering strong performances. It is his best feature film to date.

Aesthetically, The Theory of Everything has a lot going on. Composer Johann Johannsson’s score is wonderful. It plays beautifully with the love story elements as well as the inspiring moments of the narrative. It is uplifting. Benoit Delhomme’s cinematography is excellent as well. Here, Delhomme and Marsh maneuver the look of the film to fit the emotions at play in the moment. Sometimes the film is overblown with light, everything appearing radiant, and in other moments the lighting is rather dreary and dark – echoing the highs and lows of Hawking and Wilde’s relationship and personal struggles. John Paul Kelly’s production design grounds the film in a realistic feeling world, in some ways counter balancing the extremes of the photography. Kelly does a great job signaling the passage of time in the changing of décor, costumes and hairstyles.

The cast in the film is superb. Adam Godley, Christian McKay, Simon McBurney, and Emily Watson are all very good in small supporting roles. David Thewlis is also very good in the smaller supporting role, playing Dennis Sciama. Thewlis often at his very best in a mentor-like role (see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and to some extent Kingdom of Heaven – or conversely, as a complete bastard in Naked). Charlie Cox plays family friend to the Hawkings, Jonathan Jones. Cox uses his naturally friendly face to portray the man as being incredibly nice and understanding, and in many ways just what they needed. It is one of Cox’s best performances. Felicity Jones is fantastic as Jane Wilde. She has a lot of emotion to get through in the film, exhibiting the struggles that Jane faced and her strength. Jane (as a character) is in the difficult position of having to eventually leave Hawking but still remain likable (which is true to life, but could be somewhat hard to get across to an audience). Jones is excellent, as she woos the audience, expresses her character’s pain and needs, but also her warmth and fight. Jones is completely likable, throughout. Eddie Redmayne is incredible as Stephen Hawking, giving an extraordinarily physical performance (unmatched by anything else I have seen this year so far). Redmayne perfectly captures Hawking’s mischievous wit, compassion, ambition, and his physical tendencies. It is remarkable piece of acting.

Summary & score: The Theory of Everything could have been overly sappy, far too rigid a biopic or unfair to the people it portrays. In most cases, it would have been these things in lesser hands. Yet, as it is, the film presents full characters and even more important fully realized and powerful emotions, portrayed through excellent performances. 8/10

Rush (2013) – Review

Review: Rush is a fantastic sports rivalry drama that is both thrilling and emotionally engaging. The film is about two highly focused Formula 1 drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda (the two best drivers in the world at the time) and their intense and competitive 1976 season – each man fiercely contending to be World Champion. Their rivalry was born of hatred, but grew into something more – not just the motivation to be better, to beat the other, but admiration, respect, and friendship.

Rush works on multiple narrative levels. It is a great sports drama, probably the best in years if not ever (on a side note, here are a few sports films I love: The Pride of the Yankees, Hoop Dreams, Million Dollar Baby, Cinderella Man, and Goon). The rivalry between Hunt and Lauda hits all the right dramatic notes. What is brilliant about the film is that director Ron Howard does such a good job digging into each character that the audience cares deeply about each man and does not know who to fully root for – the viewer constantly finds himself switching sides throughout the film, which is a very compelling experience. The film also greatly benefits from the majesty of the big theater screen and speakers. The visuals and sounds of the Formula 1 race cars is onto itself exciting, to which Howard also adds the drama and thrilling tension of the narrative. For most, especially in America, this is probably an unfamiliar story and thus going in the ending is not a known entity, creating an engrossing narrative just from the perspective of wanting to see who comes out on top. As a sports film, everything works: the rivalry, the exhilarating visuals and sounds, and the larger than life heroes.

And yet, as good as the film is as a sports drama, it is maybe even better as a character piece. Ron Howard does a wonderful job with Hunt and Lauda. The audience is given enough character moments for both men to really get to know them and find themselves drawn in by their struggle and emotional journey. The audience has a strong connection to each man. Plus, Howard elicits absolutely phenomenal performances from his lead actors (probably the best of each actor’s careers to date). The juxtaposition of each man’s approach makes them seemingly perfect rivals: Hunt’s charisma and life-on-the-edge persona versus Lauda’s socially awkward but brilliant technician persona. Howard does great work showcasing each man’s perspective and making a compelling argument for each approach. The audience finds themselves relating to each man, which is a grand achievement in itself.

Howard also creates a very intimate feel throughout the film, which aids in the character development. Visually, Howard’s camera seems to always find itself right in the mix, invading the personal space of the characters placing the audience often in their perspective. The audience feels the full impact of each emotional high and low the character experiences, because they are right in there with them. The race scenes feel more breathtaking, because the audience is often right in the driver seat as well. Howard’s camera creates an overall heightened dramatic tension that really plays well for the audience, pulling them into the narrative even more.

From a pacing standpoint, Howard also does a good job. His narrative is structured to continually switch perspectives between Hunt and Lauda, with much of the story told through voice-over narration. The film never feels slow because Howard is able to switch back and forth from his two leads always telling the overall story from the best perspective (from a narrative sense).

Really, if there is anything to nitpick about Rush it is that the film is basically at its core just a by-the-numbers sports drama. The rivalry story is a tried-and-true narrative device that has been done over and over in popular media. Rush does not quite transcend its place as an entertaining Hollywood film. That said, however, it is a very entertaining experience and one of the best films of 2013 so far.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Ron Howard is a staple of Hollywood filmmaking. His films generally have the gloss and feel of grand, but safe, dramas (in which Howard does often garner strong performances) or A-list star driven comedies (that are never very good). His work, while hit or miss in terms of quality, has never been exciting from an aesthetic perspective. However, with Rush, Howard makes both his best narrative film and his most artistic. The film has a very ambitious and aesthetically interesting visual style that works extremely well with the narrative drama and characters. After a couple of his poorer directorial efforts, Howard’s filmmaking seems to have found new life (Rush is my favorite of Howard’s over twenty films, I also like Willow, Parenthood, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, and Frost/Nixon – Apollo 13 is probably Howard’s other most critically acclaimed, I am just not as big a fan).

Hans Zimmer’s score works well to reinforce the thrilling and dramatic moments of the film, but is greatly overshadowed both by the solid soundtrack of period songs and the wonderful sound design (comprised of revving engines and squealing tires). Anthony Dod Mantle’s photography is second to none so far in 2013. It is brilliant work. The stylized look of the races, often combining what looks like actual footage with what Howard and Dod Mantle shot, works exceptionally in its ability to create a realistic experience for the audience. There are many stunning photographic moments in the film, culminating in the sheer magnificence of the final race scene in the rainy shadow of Mt. Fuji. Mark Digby’s production design is also top notch, as his work completely transports the audience into the 1970s both visually and culturally. The overall look and feel of the race scenes is a great achievement for all involved in the film.

The cast is very good throughout. Christian McKay (doing is typically wonderful, scene-stealing character work), Natalie Dormer, and Pierfrancesco Favino are all very good in small supporting roles. Olivia Wilde does not have too many dramatic opportunities, as she is basically there to look glamorous. She not only captures the look, but she also does good work in the few dramatic scenes she is given. Alexandra Maria Lara has a fuller supporting role than Wilde, and she takes full advantage. Her strong work allows the audience to see something more in Lauda, which then enables them to switch sides and root for him, despite the immutable charisma of Hunt. However, the film is really all about two characters and two performances. Daniel Bruhl is incredible as Lauda. It is a full on character performance, as Bruhl is completely lost in the role. What works very well is that while Lauda is not particularly likable, his confidence in himself and his talent in its own way gives him a kind of charisma that the audience can latch onto, and Bruhl does not miss any opportunity to pull them in. Chris Hemsworth is just having a blast with Hunt. The role plays off of Hemsworth’s natural talents as an actor: being handsome and charismatic, but he brings a deeper emotional turmoil to the role that is very interesting. As confident and care free as Hunt may appear to be, he also has his demons. Both characters feel like fully developed, real people and that is due to Bruhl and Hemsworth.

Summary & score: Rush may be the greatest sports film ever made, as it captures the imagination and the heart of the audience – just like the power of sport. 8/10