Hawking

"Good"

Hawking Review


Stephen Hawking proves to be an entertaining storyteller in this autobiographical documentary in which, with the help of two cowriters, he takes us on a trip through his life. It's a fascinating narrative, peppered with witty anecdotes and pithy observations. But it feels perhaps a bit too triumphant, and only rarely lets us see the man behind the famous public persona.

Hawking tells his own story, starting with his birth into an academic Oxford family and early fascination with the cosmos. He found school and university rather easy, and it wasn't until he started his PhD at Cambridge that he had his first eureka moment. It was also at this time, aged 21, when he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease and given just three years to live. But the condition developed slower than expected, so he married his girlfriend Jane and continued his studies. And over the following 50 years he has completely changed the way we understand the universe.

There are several key recurring themes here, as Hawking reveals his thoughts about science, culture and sex with humour and insight. He also lets us see his ongoing desire for recognition in his field. This is what led him to battle through the writing of his international bestseller A Brief History of Time, and also why he took a memorable guest-starring role on The Simpsons. The film recounts both experiences, as well as a hilarious TV appearance with Carrey and his friendships with everyone from Steven Spielberg to Barack Obama.

Most of this is almost overpoweringly adoring, with scenes of fans pestering him for photos and celebrities talking about his wonderful contributions to society. Indeed, he is one of the most important thinkers in human history, but it would have been nice to see the everyday man as well. We get a few hints of that through his honest thoughts on the breakdown of his two marriages. And it's fascinating to hear his own observations on his position in the cultural zeitgeist. But the filmmakers save the best for last: a wonderful sequence around his amazing appearance at the London 2012 Paralympics that celebrates not only his mental achievements but the fact that physical disability has never slowed him down.



Hawking

Facts and Figures

Genre: Documentaries

Run time: 90 mins

In Theaters: Tuesday 13th April 2004

Production compaines: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 3 / 5

IMDB: 7.8 / 10

Cast & Crew

Director: Stephen Finnigan

Producer: Stephen Finnigan

Starring: as Stephen Hawking, as Martha Guthrie, as Arno Penzias, Tom Hodgkins as Robert Wilson, Christian Rubeck as Reporter (as Christian Pedersen), as Jane Wilde, as Isobel Hawking, as Dr. John Holloway, Anastasia Hille as Nurse Susan McClean, as Frank Hawking, as Sir Fred Hoyle

Contactmusic


Links


New Movies

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

After the thunderous reception for J.J. Abrams' Episode VII: The Force Awakens two years ago,...

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Like the 2015 original, this comedy plays merrily with cliches to tell a silly story...

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

There's a somewhat contrived jauntiness to this blending of fact and fiction that may leave...

Ferdinand Movie Review

Ferdinand Movie Review

This animated comedy adventure is based on the beloved children's book, which was published in...

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Director Dave McCary makes a superb feature debut with this offbeat black comedy, which explores...

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

A dramatisation of the real-life clash between tennis icons Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs,...

Shot Caller Movie Review

Shot Caller Movie Review

There isn't much subtlety to this prison thriller, but it's edgy enough to hold the...

Advertisement
The Disaster Artist Movie Review

The Disaster Artist Movie Review

A hilariously outrageous story based on real events, this film recounts the making of the...

Stronger Movie Review

Stronger Movie Review

Based on a true story about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, this looks like one...

Only the Brave Movie Review

Only the Brave Movie Review

Based on a genuinely moving true story, this film undercuts the realism by pushing its...

Wonder Movie Review

Wonder Movie Review

This film may be based on RJ Palacio's fictional bestseller, but it approaches its story...

Happy End  Movie Review

Happy End Movie Review

Austrian auteur Michael Haneke isn't known for his light touch, but rather for hard-hitting, award-winning...

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Seemingly from out of nowhere, this film generates perhaps the biggest smile of any movie...

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

A Victorian thriller with rather heavy echoes of Jack the Ripper, this film struggles to...

Advertisement
Artists
Actors
    Filmmakers
      Artists
      Bands
        Musicians
          Artists
          Celebrities
             
              Artists
              Interviews