Emma reviews this National Geographic series chronicles the adult life of Albert Einstein.
Starring Geoffrey Rush, Johnny Flynn, and Emily Watson
From his wayward student years and turbulent romances to his escape from Nazi Germany and subsequent involvement in the creation of the atomic bomb, it will keep you entertained, as well as providing a good reflection on history.
Themes include the politicisation of science and ideas, and how the regimes of the times deeply affected what the scientific community were willing to accept as fact. One can draw many parallels between then and now regarding tactics used to discredit inconvenient truths.
Einstein is played by Johnny Flynn in his younger years and Geoffrey Rush in his formative. It isn't immediately obvious at what age the switch between actors actually happens, so it is a little confusing in parts as the story isn't always linear. While I found Flynn's German accent a little cringe-worthy, he did a great performance overall. Rush is, as always, outstanding.
The use of some interesting special effects while he explains some of his famous theories, and a number of brilliantly simple metaphors and analogies mean I can pretty much guarantee you'll feel smarter by the end of it. Definitely worth a watch.
You can also check out Genius in the DPL catalogue.
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