The Theory of Everything

Focus Features | Release Date: November 7, 2014

7.8	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 573 Ratings

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BroyaxJan 15, 2017

Ce Stephen Hawking est un paradoxe vivant, j'en avais entendu parler de loin, une sorte de génie maudit ! Son histoire personnelle à faire pleurer les ménagères de moins de 50 ans (et le reste) aurait sans doute été maintes fois refusée siCe Stephen Hawking est un paradoxe vivant, j'en avais entendu parler de loin, une sorte de génie maudit ! Son histoire personnelle à faire pleurer les ménagères de moins de 50 ans (et le reste) aurait sans doute été maintes fois refusée si elle avait germé de l'esprit alcoolisé d'un quelconque quidam plus ou moins écrivaillon à ses délires perdus mais la réalité comme de coutume dépasse toujours la fiction.

Les acteurs incarnant à l'écran ce couple hors norme sont tout simplement brillants et d'une justesse étonnante, la mise en scène appliquée, soignée est indéniablement efficace. Puis la musique tout de même nous met la puce à l'oreille (tous ces violons...) et l'ensemble du film, du reste : cette commisération géante, cette communion universelle avec le malheur d'un homme atteint d'une maladie dégénérative incurable... n'est-ce pas un peu trop finalement ?

Des larmes, du courage, et du misérabilisme surtout. Et quelques omissions à propos du prêtre : quel est le point de vue d'Hawking à ce sujet ? le scénariste a préféré l'escamoter, on ne saura pas ce qu'il en pense ni ce qu'il ressent. Ah l'infirme n'était pas au courant ? ou pas encore ? Je note que le scénariste prend toujours soin de ne pas écorner sa femme, la pieuse et glorieuse "Mère Teresa". Une sainte vous dis-je.

La théorie, l'oeuvre du cosmologiste, est trop mise en retrait, faute d'avoir pu "vulgariser" suffisamment des concepts sans doute un peu trop techniques pour la ménagère de moins de 50 ans : on préfère lui faire sortir encore quelques mouchoirs et Dieu sait qu'ils ont fort à faire les mouchoirs pour éponger les hectolitres déversés devant le chemin de croix du génie grabataire.

Cela étant, le film dispose de cette autre qualité : faire connaître cet homme singulier mais surtout donner envie de lire ses bouquins qui ont l'air tout aussi singulier. Au moins par curiosité.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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LamontRaymondNov 9, 2014

I'd never recommend this movie. I'd read that the emphasis would be on Hawking's school life and his romance with his first wife. Unfortunately, that only comprises the first half of the film. The second half is entirely too slow. TheI'd never recommend this movie. I'd read that the emphasis would be on Hawking's school life and his romance with his first wife. Unfortunately, that only comprises the first half of the film. The second half is entirely too slow. The sequences of Hawking struggling to pull himself up his staircase - looking at his son at the top of the stairs - mirrored many of the people in our theater struggling to get to the end of this film. Sure, Redmayne is awesome, but when he gets into his "My Left Foot" mode, that's no longer acting, in my opinion. I'd much rather award an actor for subtle, true moments - not pretending like he or she is physically disabled. Seems far too easy. Pandering. The movie simply needs editing. And I would have loved to hear more about the Quantum Physics vs. Astro Physics relationship that they merely touch upon.… Expand

6 of 15 users found this helpful69

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benuttyNov 16, 2014

It's curious how a film about a man who wrote his graduate thesis on time manages to treat time with such disregard--Marsh flutters through this man's extraordinary life with utter disregard for cause & effect, showing us the end results of aIt's curious how a film about a man who wrote his graduate thesis on time manages to treat time with such disregard--Marsh flutters through this man's extraordinary life with utter disregard for cause & effect, showing us the end results of a number of events in Hawking's life without showing us how he got there or what it means to him when he does. Surely the central romance is important to his work, but it's a shame Marsh isn't able make the connection in a more intriguing way.

And enough with the glow effect on the lens. ENOUGH.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

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hotfromcauldronNov 17, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What orbits around Redmayne’s stellar performance sucks the air out of this Hawking’s biopic. Hairdos change, couples swap, time passes- but nothing happens. Until a touching two minute reverse recap at the very end. Even if love is the answer- the question remains- why is this movie relatively mediocre.… Expand

6 of 7 users found this helpful61

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softwaredougJan 3, 2016

This film stinks of bad nostalgia. Conflict between Jane and Stephen should be deep in this film. Yet it's dealt with so glibly to be laughably unbelievable. Seriously, I think my wife taking care of two kids at home by herself without aThis film stinks of bad nostalgia. Conflict between Jane and Stephen should be deep in this film. Yet it's dealt with so glibly to be laughably unbelievable. Seriously, I think my wife taking care of two kids at home by herself without a disabled husband demonstrates and communicates more stress than the Jane character does.

Seriously a woman gives up her hopes and dreams to care for a disabled person and his kids Instead, her resentment is rather sugar coated. She rarely speaks up for herself. And she doesn't experience any other kind of mental breakdown. The one time she tries to bring it up to her husband he laughs about it. She doesn't pull over the car and give him a piece of her mind? Or let in bottle up until she snaps?

The most hilarious part of this is when something is "too much" cause it involves 3 kids potentially going camping with their mom in France while dad is at an opera. Seriously? That's what crosses the line? Not, you know EVERYDAY fact of taking care of an extremely disabled man and three kids. WTF.

A more realistic version of this film makes Jane's life appear far more horrifying and isolating. It should have made Stephen's celebrity a source of deep, deep resentment. His inability to agree to simple ways to help her deeply insulting. It should show the despair of the female caregiver, stuck. The unquenchable anger at a man that has all the fun. It should be far more critical of Stephen Hawking and somewhat critical of Jane if she seriously can't seem to communicate her feelings.

On the plus side this film has a tremendous performance by Redmayne. He thoroughly inhabits the image of Stephen Hawking we all are familiar with. I enjoyed the early romance and the chemistry between the leads was great. Having visited Cambridge, the setting was filmed beautifully.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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Eilidh2Apr 4, 2015

A paint-by-numbers biopic with a lead performane from Eddie Redmayne which won an Oscar.. now to my astonishment having seen the film. He contorts his face and body. He speaks unintelligibly. Oh yeah, he wears his glasses lopsided before heA paint-by-numbers biopic with a lead performane from Eddie Redmayne which won an Oscar.. now to my astonishment having seen the film. He contorts his face and body. He speaks unintelligibly. Oh yeah, he wears his glasses lopsided before he falls ill. That's it. His wife miraculously remains looking 22ish throughout the film.
Not recommended.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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jobin1988Jan 16, 2015

what a piece of crap....i hated this formulaic stupid movie....it was the 'oh my love conquers all' garbage we've seen a million times and then love doesn't conquer all...maybe if they actually made a movie about the dillemma of that realwhat a piece of crap....i hated this formulaic stupid movie....it was the 'oh my love conquers all' garbage we've seen a million times and then love doesn't conquer all...maybe if they actually made a movie about the dillemma of that real circumstance rather than this inspirational bull hogwash....it ends up not even being inspirational....they don't end up together people....so why this 'ain't love grand....can't it move mountains'....real life set in and love left town...this is a sappy afterschool special only admired because of it's veddy english connection and all that royal academy theatuh tripe and shakespeare babies.....they still have a queen, people...no power ...but they still have one......and the acting does nothing new...nothing fresh....it is nothing more than a boring film with english accents, so of course the academy rewards it because they are pretentious morons who buy into the myth that only the english are true actors....that is not to say there aren't amazing brittish film....28 days later....the long good friday....gregory's girl....educating rita.....billy elliot....billy liar....this sporting life....anything by mike leigh....any monty python.....time bandits.....brazil....trainspotting....anything kubrick....saturday night and sunday morning....don't look now....sammy and rosie.....my beautiful laundrette......hunger.....and so very many more....if redmayne wins it's the academy rewarding the disease and why is jones even in here....so so acting at best....a terrible move....birdman deserves everything.....… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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thelloydfamilyJan 18, 2015

Not been this bored by a movie since watching the Expendables and vowing never to watch one of the sequels. Eddie Redmayne is the most wooden actor I have ever seen, from the Pillars of the Earth to Les Miserables his habit of staring offNot been this bored by a movie since watching the Expendables and vowing never to watch one of the sequels. Eddie Redmayne is the most wooden actor I have ever seen, from the Pillars of the Earth to Les Miserables his habit of staring off into the near distance, blatantly reading autocue and lack of emotion means that his playing of Stephen Hawking must not receive the Oscar. Why, because he isn't acting!!!! Also, the blatant use of Americanisms to sell it to the US. In the UK it is Leg or Breast, not light meat or dark meat. Also it is Motor Neurone Disease in the UK and ALS in the US, until Ice Bucket no-one here would have referred to Lou Gehrigs Disease and certainly not in 1963.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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RuPaulNov 18, 2014

Contrived, poorly written, and executed by someone who clearly struggles to convey melodrama over documentaries. Redmayne's performance is greatly overrated--lower your expectations lest you be as disappointed as I. Far from the next My LeftContrived, poorly written, and executed by someone who clearly struggles to convey melodrama over documentaries. Redmayne's performance is greatly overrated--lower your expectations lest you be as disappointed as I. Far from the next My Left Foot, he shows greatest success in mimicry but fails to convey any consistent character beyond. Felicity Jones is nice and works well with all the cliches, but it is pointless in this ultimately purposeless BBC-grade drama.… Expand

4 of 13 users found this helpful49

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Pelen23Feb 24, 2015

This fairy tale like bio pic is is poorly written and emotionally manipulative with its overused cheesy score, Felicity Jones completed the film with only two facial impressions and got an oscar nomination for this , wow! Eddie Redmayne wasThis fairy tale like bio pic is is poorly written and emotionally manipulative with its overused cheesy score, Felicity Jones completed the film with only two facial impressions and got an oscar nomination for this , wow! Eddie Redmayne was slightly better but I don't find his performance powerful . There was absolutely no screen chemistry between redmayne and jones.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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Sebe2012Feb 24, 2015

Another mediocre film with okay performances. Redmaynes performance is ok but not amazing . However felicity jones is way too weak and hard to understand the hype.i hated the films tone , that Disneyish tone was awful and a serious biopicAnother mediocre film with okay performances. Redmaynes performance is ok but not amazing . However felicity jones is way too weak and hard to understand the hype.i hated the films tone , that Disneyish tone was awful and a serious biopic should be told like that… Expand

0 of 9 users found this helpful09

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Dostoyevsky3May 31, 2022

The critics have no morality if they think a good movie is one that has a dude who throws away his wife and everything she’s done for him just for another woman who shows him porn. The only thing this movie is telling me is that atheists areThe critics have no morality if they think a good movie is one that has a dude who throws away his wife and everything she’s done for him just for another woman who shows him porn. The only thing this movie is telling me is that atheists are immoral because they are too arrogant to be under a divine being.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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