The Theory of Everything

Doug returns home late on Christmas Eve to a tense family dinner. A lawyer calls with shocking news: he was adopted, not biologically connected to his parents. The revelation adds strain to an already tight family life as they face looming financial troubles.

At a lawyer's office, Doug meets his half-sister Delilah who was disowned by their father. The lawyer explains an open adoption and presents the possibility of taking responsibility for their father and his estate. Doug decides to proceed with the arrangement without consulting Abby.

Doug travels to his biological father's house and is met with gunfire before Gene recognizes him as his son. The two spar over family history, but Gene reveals a willingness to help and hints at supporting Doug's finances and his work on physics.

Doug and Gene work on a financial plan to save the pilot school and attract investors. They locate potential backers who could provide the necessary capital. The plan marks a turning point for Doug's business and their relationship.

During a celebratory moment with investors, Gene suddenly collapses and is rushed to the hospital. A doctor confirms that Gene suffers from a prion disease, a rapidly degenerative condition. The diagnosis forces the family to reconsider their future together.

Doug and Abby move in with Gene to care for him as his illness progresses. The family begins to bond with Gene, who starts to open up and befriend them. He shares stories that connect Doug to his past, including memories of Lory.

Gene explains that his wife chose to go to Jesus rather than undergo radiation therapy, which is why he gave Doug up for adoption. He also tells of Doug's late mother Lory, whose cancer ended her life. The revelation deepens the emotional stakes for the family.

Delilah secures a verdict to incapacitate Gene, and police move him from the house to a hospital. In the same upheaval, the house is destroyed, symbolizing the fragility of the family’s situation. The family grapples with losing the last footholds on Gene and Doug's future.

Doug salvages Gene's research from the chaotic home and brings the papers to the hospital. Gene sees Doug as his last hope to finish his work. Doug's action rekindles purpose for both.

Some time later, Doug finds Gene in the hospital garden; Gene can barely remember Doug and what he was seeking. He remains largely forgetful, but hints of a forgotten goal linger. Doug remains determined to help him.

Doug and Abby decide to abduct Gene and transport him by private plane to Alaska so he can see the aurora borealis. They prepare for a dangerous journey and hope the trip will offer Gene a final sense of peace. The plan marks a drastic turn toward a personal, fragile ending.

Arriving in Alaska, Gene sees the aurora borealis and says he no longer fears death, feeling he may have found a path to Jesus and his late wife. Doug hands Gene's papers to physics researchers, ensuring his work lives on. The journey ends with the scientific community receiving Gene's ideas.