July 23, 2023
FILM: OPPENHEIMER
DIRECTED BY: CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
STARRING: CILLIAN MURPHY, EMILY BLUNT, ROBERT DOWNEY JR.
RATING: 3 stars of out 4
By Dan Pal
Oppenheimer is the second big movie of the weekend after a little film you might have heard about called Barbie. Directed by another respected filmmaker, Christopher Nolan, this one clocks in at three hours which feels like, well…three hours. The subject is an important one: it follows scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer as he assists in the development of the atomic bomb and then must live with the consequences of his role in the project.
Cillian Murphy stars as the title character who we see at various points in his history from college to an advanced age when he is given a presidential award. Nolan’s approach to storytelling has always been complex. Just like in his films Memento, Inception, and Dunkirk, Nolan plays with narrative construction, meaning that he moves back and forth in time to reveal details in a manner which he feels most suits the dramatic tension of his stories. It worked well with those films but this time out appears a bit overdone and confusing. Nolan doesn’t provide the year or circumstance details surrounding many of the scenes in the film which I guess means we’re supposed to figure them out based on the changing makeup and hairstyles associated with the major characters. There is also a switch to black and white cinematography during scenes that reportedly represent the point of view of Robert Downey Jr.’s character (Lewis Strauss.) All of this aside, the first half of the film is filled with a lot of brief scenes which feature a wealth of information that, at least for me, was a bit much to grasp. With this amount of exposition concerning the development of the bomb, the facts and technical talk can get pretty tiring and are not particularly compelling to view.
The second half raises the energy and stakes though as the bomb is tested in New Mexico. It’s a pretty strong scene although I questioned the removal of sound from parts of it. (Aren’t we expecting to hear that big bang?!) What really sets this half apart though is the intense moral struggle that Oppenheimer faces as he becomes the subject of a hearing regarding, in part, his supposed involvement with the Communist party. We witness his emotional downfall as he begins to realize that he has created something that was used for purposes he seemingly never deeply contemplated. The moral question of the film is, should we create something that can cause mass destruction and if we do are we responsible for its ultimate use? Oppenheimer struggles with this and Murphy greatly expresses his inner turmoil through his fine subtle non-verbal communication.
Murphy is not the only actor to really excel here. Emily Blunt has a smaller role as Oppenheimer’s wife Kitty that she plays fiercely and commandingly. Robert Downey Jr. will no doubt be in the Oscar conversation for his supporting performance as Lewis Strauss, a figure that has a major effect on Oppenheimer’s career as he himself seeks a government cabinet position. This may be one of the most complex and serious roles Downey has ever taken on and it is sure to surprise fans of his work as Iron Man. Then there are a host of other recent Oscar winners and nominees that turn up in a variety of smaller roles: Casey Affleck, Gary Oldman, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, and Kenneth Branagh. Most are very effective and, while at times distracting, clearly fit the tone and character dynamics Nolan is shooting for.
The film is also filled with cuts to visual effects meant to emulate the various atoms and particles that form much of our universe. They also serve as visually stimulating breaks between some of the more talky scenes. In the theater where I saw the film, the seats rumbled each time these effects were featured on screen. No doubt this woke up some of the audience members who may have zoned out during these scenes (including the young woman who sat next to me and insisted on moving the straw up and down through the plastic covering of her giant-sized soda during the quieter scenes.)
In the end, Oppenheimer, is a long film that could have used a bit more editing and focus but it does place a spotlight on an interesting moral dilemma that is still relevant in our volatile international climate today.
Oppenheimer is currently playing in wide theatrical release.
FILM: OPPENHEIMER
DIRECTED BY: CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
STARRING: CILLIAN MURPHY, EMILY BLUNT, ROBERT DOWNEY JR.
RATING: 3 stars of out 4
By Dan Pal
Oppenheimer is the second big movie of the weekend after a little film you might have heard about called Barbie. Directed by another respected filmmaker, Christopher Nolan, this one clocks in at three hours which feels like, well…three hours. The subject is an important one: it follows scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer as he assists in the development of the atomic bomb and then must live with the consequences of his role in the project.
Cillian Murphy stars as the title character who we see at various points in his history from college to an advanced age when he is given a presidential award. Nolan’s approach to storytelling has always been complex. Just like in his films Memento, Inception, and Dunkirk, Nolan plays with narrative construction, meaning that he moves back and forth in time to reveal details in a manner which he feels most suits the dramatic tension of his stories. It worked well with those films but this time out appears a bit overdone and confusing. Nolan doesn’t provide the year or circumstance details surrounding many of the scenes in the film which I guess means we’re supposed to figure them out based on the changing makeup and hairstyles associated with the major characters. There is also a switch to black and white cinematography during scenes that reportedly represent the point of view of Robert Downey Jr.’s character (Lewis Strauss.) All of this aside, the first half of the film is filled with a lot of brief scenes which feature a wealth of information that, at least for me, was a bit much to grasp. With this amount of exposition concerning the development of the bomb, the facts and technical talk can get pretty tiring and are not particularly compelling to view.
The second half raises the energy and stakes though as the bomb is tested in New Mexico. It’s a pretty strong scene although I questioned the removal of sound from parts of it. (Aren’t we expecting to hear that big bang?!) What really sets this half apart though is the intense moral struggle that Oppenheimer faces as he becomes the subject of a hearing regarding, in part, his supposed involvement with the Communist party. We witness his emotional downfall as he begins to realize that he has created something that was used for purposes he seemingly never deeply contemplated. The moral question of the film is, should we create something that can cause mass destruction and if we do are we responsible for its ultimate use? Oppenheimer struggles with this and Murphy greatly expresses his inner turmoil through his fine subtle non-verbal communication.
Murphy is not the only actor to really excel here. Emily Blunt has a smaller role as Oppenheimer’s wife Kitty that she plays fiercely and commandingly. Robert Downey Jr. will no doubt be in the Oscar conversation for his supporting performance as Lewis Strauss, a figure that has a major effect on Oppenheimer’s career as he himself seeks a government cabinet position. This may be one of the most complex and serious roles Downey has ever taken on and it is sure to surprise fans of his work as Iron Man. Then there are a host of other recent Oscar winners and nominees that turn up in a variety of smaller roles: Casey Affleck, Gary Oldman, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, and Kenneth Branagh. Most are very effective and, while at times distracting, clearly fit the tone and character dynamics Nolan is shooting for.
The film is also filled with cuts to visual effects meant to emulate the various atoms and particles that form much of our universe. They also serve as visually stimulating breaks between some of the more talky scenes. In the theater where I saw the film, the seats rumbled each time these effects were featured on screen. No doubt this woke up some of the audience members who may have zoned out during these scenes (including the young woman who sat next to me and insisted on moving the straw up and down through the plastic covering of her giant-sized soda during the quieter scenes.)
In the end, Oppenheimer, is a long film that could have used a bit more editing and focus but it does place a spotlight on an interesting moral dilemma that is still relevant in our volatile international climate today.
Oppenheimer is currently playing in wide theatrical release.