Oppenheimer

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Alden Ehrenreich, Scott Grimes, Jason Clarke, Tony Goldwyn, Florence Pugh, James D'Arcy, Kenneth Branagh, Casey Affleck, David Krumholtz, Josh Hartnett, Alex Wolff, Rory Keane, Emma Dumont, Matthew Modine, David Dastmalchian, Dane DeHaan, Josh Peck, Benny Safdie, Rami Malek, Olivia Thirlby, James Remar, Gary Oldman
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
2023

Times Seen:
Tim: 1


Summary: J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) is chosen to lead a top secret project to build the world's first atomic bomb.

Review:

Tim: There's simply no doubt left- Christopher Nolan is one of the greatest directors of this generation and indeed, of all time. His meticulous attention to detail, his willingness to always swing big, his ability to craft intelligent, entertaining films- he is an astounding talent. The fact that he took a biography of an American scientist and turned it into a sprawling, three hour biopic that set the box office on fire ($329 million) and won 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture... very few people have been able to accomplish a feat like that. Oppenheimer isn't a perfect movie, but it's exceptional. Undoubtedly, one of the best movies of 2023.

I undoubtedly consider Oppenheimer to be a great film. The attention to detail, the expansive cast, the story that Nolan tells- it's a film everyone needs to see. It's shocking how entertaining Nolan makes a film that really just involves talking. I was a bit surprised how little in terms of action there is throughout this film- it's very dialogue-driven. The fact that Nolan was able to craft a movie like this and sell it to audiences is an amazing feat. It does hurt the film's rewatch value a bit- I'm not sure I would see it again. I watched it, loved much about it, but to sit through this again would be tough. For that reason, I wouldn't put this movie in the upper, upper echelon of great films.

However, there's no doubt the movie is amazing. As I mentioned, the film won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Nolan also won for Best Director, a well-deserved honor. It won Best Original Score (the music was indeed so impressive), Best Cinematography (the film is absolutely gorgeous to look at), and Best Film Editing (again, so well-deserved). The Academy definitely decided to reward the technical feat of this film, as it should have. Watching the film, you're just struck by how Nolan sets up scenes, how everything contributes to the story. It holds your attention, to watch a film so well-designed.

The film won two additional Academy Awards- first, Best Actor for Cillian Murphy. I was so pleased that he won. Murphy has long been an underrated talent. His ability to step into the role of Oppenheimer and to give a masterclass performance deserved so much recognition. Murphy's performance is brilliant. He does so much throughout this film, much big and so many small things right. He breaths life into this character and helps us connect with the man behind it. He gets a ton of screen time in this 3-hour epic and his performance is mesmerizing. I was so happy for him. The Academy also recognized Robert Downey Jr. for Best Supporting Actor. I was a tad surprised, but again, happy for him. I'm a big Downey Jr. fan and he stepped into this controversial and challenging role. He subtly impacts the movie in many ways and while his screen time isn't as much as you'd think, he leaves a lasting impression. It was nice to see Downey Jr. finally recognized for his talent and it's a good role for him to win a top award. Nolan's film gives both Murphy and Downey plenty of space to work and they're absolutely standouts.

Although she didn't win, Emily Blunt did receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. I am a huge fan of Blunt and I think she's the rare actress who can do everything. She can be an action star and she can deliver a heartbreakingly emotional performance as Kitty Oppenheimer. Blunt gets several incredible opportunities to showcase her skill, all of which she absolutely hits out of the park. She gets just enough time to make a powerful impact on the film. I loved her performance and was glad she at least received a nomination. Matt Damon adds a tremendous supporting performance, too. It's almost annoying how Damon pops up in so many films and every single time, is outstanding. His impact on this film shouldn't be overlooked. It's a smaller support role, but when I think about Oppenheimer being great, Damon is absolutely a part of that. Florence Pugh is in that exact same boat. Pugh is one of the best actresses working today. She has that same impossible, boundaryless range that Blunt does. Pugh has a smaller role, but makes an enormous impact with her performance. She's remarkable in this small but important role. This film truly has an embarrassment of riches in the acting department, and I haven't even touched the larger cast.

Seriously, everyone is in this movie. Alden Ehrenreich gives a strong performance- leveraging a few critical scenes here and there to nudge the movie to even higher heights. I loved how her performed opposite Downey and the little subtle smirk throughout his performance was perfect. Jason Clarke gets our blood boiling with a powerful, challenging performance. Kenneth Branagh doesn't get a lot to do, but he makes his presence felt. Casey Affleck shows up and reminds us in a few small scenes what an accomplished actor he is. It was a great joy seeing Josh Hartnett get a decent amount of screen time. His career has been an afterthought for a while, but he showed he still has it. David Krumholtz surprisingly tugged at our heartstrings with his heartfelt, warm performance. Dane DeHaan did some nice things in his limited screen time. It was fun seeing Josh Peck pop up. Rami Malek has one really strong scene toward the end and you felt so thankful the role was his to deliver. I loved seeing Gary Oldman for a few minutes, as he slips effortlessly into another prominent historical figure. There's at least a dozen other recognizable actors I could talk about, but I think you get the point. Nolan adds so many recognizable faces to the cast and while they don't all get a lot of screen time, they get just enough to make an impact.

Oppenheimer is a movie people will talk about for a long time. It has flaws, yes. But, Nolan was able to do something with this film that perhaps no other director on Earth could have achieved. He crafts this poignant, beautiful film of a man who pushed the boundaries of science, tried to do what was right, and equipped humanity with the means of destroying our entire civilization. Consider that for a moment. What does it mean to be considered the "Father" of the Atomic Bomb? Nolan explores this while not losing sight of the humanity of J. Robert Oppenheimer. At this point, Nolan is operating in the absolute stratosphere of directors. This film won a ton of awards and it deserved to. It's a truly great movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



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