I agree that she does come off a bit obnoxious in the movie. I don't know what the agenda is but I suspect they just didn't want to hurt Hawking's feelings and made him, well, some kind of a saint compared to her. Because, in the movie, it seems like the only thing she had to put up with was his declining physical condition (which was completely beyond his control). But as I understand, in real life, her life with Hawking was no picnic, and not just because of the desease. His personality played an important role in their growing apart. I've read that he was completely preoccupied with his work, developed the "God complex" and, on occasion, could even be a little domestic tyrant. I don't know how accurate this unformation is but it does ring true. I don't believe that, for Jane who seemed so spirited and determined, the everyday household difficulties would be enough reason to seek love and happiness elsewhere. I am not trying to berate Stephen Hawking or pass judgment on anyone. I am simply saying that the situation was probably more complex in real life and I am sure there were more than just one side to this story. In any case, if they had made him less saintly, he would have been a much more interesting character and the movie would only benefit.
On the other hand, I've noticed that people's perception of Jane differs. I find her a bit obnoxious but, for instance, my husband with whom I watched the movie thought she was quite heroic. He actually said something like "it's obvious the movie is based on her memoir because she is the real heroine of it". So I guess it's open to interpretation.
reply
share