Documentary maker Errol Morris tackles nothing less than the origin and fate of the universe, placing the often mind-bending theories of the popular science guide alongside a portrait of the author himself, British cosmologist Stephen Hawking, who for many years has been confined to a wheelchair, unable to move or speak, while his mind has been ranging freely all over creation. Hawking (and his ideas) can't help but inspire a compelling film, but there's an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu because the style is identical to 'The Thin Blue Line', with the same Philip Glass music score, the same oddball graphic digressions, and the same clips from old Hollywood movies (in this case Disney's 'The Black Hole', with mad scientist Maximillian Schell). But unlike the previous film there isn't any sense of resolution, because the questions posed by Hawking ("why do we remember the past, but not the future?") will likely never be answered. Out of respect for the scientist Morris downplays the deadpan ridicule that made his earliest films so amusing, but there's no shortage of the trademark dry wit, much of it provided by Hawking himself, who narrates most of the film with his own computer generated voice.

I'm no physicist but I have read extensively about the subject matter in this documentary (which is surprisingly old). I did appreciate the commentary about Hawking and his life. What was lacking for me was more of the science, even in layman's terms. We would get an idea and then cut to someone who knew him as a youth, talking about his potential. I would love to have seen a couple scientists discuss further a few of the theories. Nevertheless, this man couldn't be more heroic. Imagine what he could have chosen as his path after suffering from this horrible disease.

Anyone who knows anything about Stephen Hawking knows that he wrote "A Brief History of Time" and devoted his life to uncovering the universe's secrets (and of his suffering from ALS). We learned about this from the Oscar-winning "Theory of Everything", starring Eddie Redmayne as the renowned physicist.

Errol Morris's documentary "A Brief History of Time" looks at Hawking's life and work, featuring interviews with his acquaintances and relatives. Noticeably absent is Hawking's then-wife Jane (played by Felicity Jones in "The Theory of Everything"),but that doesn't subtract from the documentary. This is truly one for the ages, affirming that Hawking will remain one of the greatest minds in history. I read the documentary to everyone.