Theory of Everything

I had the privilege of seeing The Theory of Everything tonight, by myself, and honestly it was something that I needed.  As you probably have noticed from the dates between this post and my last one, it has been awhile since I have posted anything.  This past little while has been quite an adventure, and something that I will never forget. I had the opportunity to try and build something amazing, an attraction that would be like nothing else, but sadly it has to be put on hold as money is no longer there, and so I and others had to be let go.  That was a few weeks ago and I have been pretty depressed and having a hard time since being laid off. To keep myself occupied and also to find an escape, I normally go to the movies. And when I saw that this was finally being shown, I decided to take myself on a date and go see it. If you haven’t seen any trailers for it, here it is:

I knew who Stephen Hawking is, and a small bit about his theories. Who hasn’t in this day and age, but I only knew bits and pieces about his life, his condition, and family.  I could never compare to his intellectual mind, but felt in a small way I could relate to him in being a “nerd” and not the typical jock or popular kid while I was growing up.  I knew that I would like this movie, but didn’t realize until I finished watching it, how much I would love it.

The story begins when Stephen is at Cambridge still studying for his PHD in Physics, and meets his future wife Jane.  Their courtship is played out very well, and what leads to their marriage and struggle with Stephen’s disease really hit me.  Would I love someone as much as Jane, to know that the future would not be as fairy tale as you’d imagine, and the daily struggles could seem almost too hard to handle.

I don’t want to create a retelling of the story, I just wanted to give you a little intro, and encourage you to go see this.  I went in knowing hardly anything about the film, and I wasn’t expecting the emotional impact it would give me after walking out of the theater. I have never heard of Eddie Redmayne, nor remember seeing him in any films previous, but man he did an Oscar winning job at portraying Stephen.  I connected with him, felt his pain, and his struggle like I was experiencing it myself. Not to mention the beauty and poise that Felicity Jones gave to Jane as she was right by Stephen’s side as his disease grew more and more severe.

Those that know me well know that I am a sap when it comes to movies. Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, A Beautiful Mind, and more have all hit me to where at least a tear came out of me. I am an emotional guy, and this was another film to add to a huge list of others that got to me.  It wasn’t in some big dramatic scene that has big emotional moments, it actually was in a more simplistic shot with music and we see the Hawking family with their friend Jonathan riding in a boat. Weird I know, but watching their simple joys of being together and loving each other as a family really impacted me.  In the struggle of life, the simplest of things can erase all our worries, doubts, and fears for just a small moment.  It was like what I was doing in that moment. Taking a small 2 hours out of my weekend to see a film and escape my anxieties and appreciate something I enjoy.  From that moment on, I knew there was a reason went to see this film.

I got the chance to make an escape and feel ok about myself. Through all of Stephen’s struggles, and his problems he was able to accomplish insurmountable things.  But, in the end how much does that matter?

(spoiler alert)

** What hit me the most was at the end of the film.  It rewinds back to the introduction which is of the Hawking family at the Royal Palace in London,  Stephen has been offered a Knight ship from her majesty the Queen.  The ending is Stephen and Jane having a small conversation in the royal garden as they watch their children play.  Jane talks of Stephen’s accomplishments and that he could decline the Knighthood if he wanted.  Stephen stops her and says (in his famous computer voice) “Look at what we have made” directed towards their children.

This was when I lost it emotionally.  It helped me to see what truly is important in life.  Stephen was given all of these awards and accolades, but in the end what really matters is the simple things.  A family, children, and love.  All of the wonders and glories of the universe can be overwhelming. Looking at where my life is now, where my future is, and what my true calling in life is just as overwhelming right now.  But my family and the love I share with them is what truly matters, especially this time of year. I don’t have children yet, or a significant other, but I hope to someday. Those are what would be my greatest reward.  **

This isn’t some great amazing review, but I felt the need to write down my thoughts and how I felt before I lost them. So more than anything, I can look back at this and remind myself what the really important things are.

To anyone that has read this, I hope it was motivation enough for you to at least see this film, and to also appreciate what is most important in life.  Thanks for taking the time to read it.