The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.
Chuck says:
It should come as no surprise that when faced with telling the complex story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, that writer/director Christopher Nolan would take a radical approach. Initially jarring and off-putting, the fragmented nature and speed with which this story is told takes time to adjust to and, in fact, is not completely successful. Yet, there’s no denying this is a compelling, fascinating piece of work that attempts to see the world as its titular character did, as one in which fusion and fission not only dominated his work but his personal life as well, with tragic results.
Nolan uses dueling flashbacks to drive this exceptional biopic, the memories of Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) as well as those of Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), two rivals whose paths cross at key times in the development of the United States’ nuclear policy. The opening act is dominated by Oppenheimer’s memories, presented in quick flashes, as if we are privy to the random nature of his mind. There are brief scenes of him studying in Cambridge in 1925, then a quick cut of his being grilled by the Personal Security Board in 1954, only to be followed by a scene in which he is seen conducting research at Caltech in 1928, which gives way to a sequence in which he attends a meeting of socialists where he meets activist Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh) who would become his lover.
Yes, biopics by their nature dictate a compression of real-life events and Nolan’s presenting them to reflect Oppenheimer’s thought processes is intriguing. However, it isn’t conducive to character development or, at times, narrative cohesion. Neither Tatlock nor the scientist’s wife Kitty (Emily Blunt) are fully developed, the former seen as simply troubled, the later a harpy, while the events in Oppenheimer’s life through the 1920s and 1930s are covered in such a piecemeal, rapid fashion that it comes off as a Cliffs Notes version of these events. Then again, Nolan may have shot many more scenes covering this period that had to be excised.
Of course, this all may be done by design. Do the less than complete portraits of the two women reflect how important they were to Oppenheimer? Does the speed with which the early part of his career is covered suggest the irresistible nature of fate that was compelling him towards the moment that would define his life? A second viewing will provide clarity for these and other matters.
Without question, the sequences involving the creation of the Manhattan Project and the bombs they would produce are fascinating and compelling. Driven by General Leslie Groves (Matt Damon), Nolan presents each breakthrough the scientists make with as much excitement as dread, all of it building towards the climactic moment of the first test of the device. This sequence is filmmaking of the highest quality, the significance of this momentous event underscored not so much by the bomb’s fury but the reaction of its creators.
Appearing in nearly each scene, Murphy carries the emotional burden of this story on his shoulders with his complex, subtle and ultimately moving performance. It’s a remarkable turn as the actor captures the optimism of the young scientist and the regret of the older man, whose guilt compelled him to take the unpopular stance of calling for international arms control at the height of the Cold War. The actor is captivating throughout, as is Downey Jr., reminding us he’s capable of much more than occupying a tin suit.
A remarkable, complex achievement, Nolan’s film is a timely reminder of the hubris we are all prone to and the peril that comes from short-sighted bureaucracies overseeing scientific endeavors. “Oppenheimer” is a cautionary tale writ large, one whose lessons the director knows full well we are doomed to ignore again and again.
3 1/2 Stars
