MOVIE REVIEW: OPPENHEIMER (R)
While “Barbie” has struck a meaningful chord with audiences everywhere (the Mattel-toy-turned-comedy-with-something-to-say has emerged as quite the monster hit), the other half of the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon has also proven to be quite successful. Not bad for a chatty 3-hour long R-rated biopic with adult themes. Of course, it certainly helps when you have a filmmaker of Christopher Nolan’s caliber at the helm.
With “Oppenheimer,” Nolan treads “Dunkirk” terrain by zeroing in on an intense, real-life incident. He also zeroes in on the life of the key historic figure at the heart of that incident. In this case, that figure is the title character, J. Robert Oppenheimer (played by Cillian Murphy), the man who would go down in history as the creator of the atomic bomb. But rather than focus solely on the creation of this most deadly device, “Oppenheimer” attempts to put us in this man’s headspace before, during, and after a crucial (and undeniably horrific ) historical event.
“Oppenheimer” is a captivating, haunting, tense, engrossing, and altogether complicated movie and Nolan tells this epic story in the sort of nonlinear fashion that has become his trademark. Even though the movie is three hours long and jam-packed with information (some of it merely skimmed over rather than truly explored), this is ultimately a mesmerizing motion picture experience that, at times, reminded me a bit of Oliver Stone’s dramatic and speculative all-star-headlined historical pieces of the 90s (most notably, “JFK” and “Nixon.”)
Yes, “Oppenheimer” is bursting at the seams with star power and the entire cast is universally fantastic. Murphy is front and center as the title character, a somewhat conflicted man who was known as a genius but for all his gifts, like most humans, he wasn’t without his flaws. Murphy really is a magnetic screen presence here and it goes well beyond the piercing blue eyes and much-talked-about cheekbones. He really does commit 100% making for a compelling portrayal of a man who in addition to making a weapon of mass destruction was known for his ego and for his womanizing ways. At the same time, this was an individual who very much understood what he was doing and after the dust had settled, he paid quite the price. This is a stellar performance and I have very little doubt that Murphy will be showered with accolades come awards season. Beyond that, I’m utterly convinced that Robert Downey Jr. is going to win a slew of awards (including an Oscar) for his work as Lewis Strauss, a man who would forever be linked to Oppenheimer. Downey Jr. is pitch-perfect in this film and his work here is an instant reminder that he’s capable of so much more than franchise films. Yes, this is yet another reminder that this is the same man who was nominated for an Oscar for his stellar work in “Chaplin” over three decades ago.
Elsewhere, this film features a strong if all too brief turn by Florence Pugh as a key figure in Oppenheimer’s life. Speaking of which, Emily Blunt is superb as Kitty Oppenheimer, a woman who would stand by her man in the darkest of times. A key courtroom scene in which Kitty tells it like it is while being raked over the coals is among the strongest scenes in the entire movie. Rounding out an extraordinary all-star cast is…Pretty much everybody. I’ll refrain from naming them all in this review so that you can let this exceptional roster of talent wash over you like a fever dream.
Of course, the true star of “Oppenheimer” is Nolan who continues to prove that he’s one of the very best in the business when it comes to fusing big tentpole filmmaking with an artful storytelling approach. For all its strengths, one of the most intriguing aspects of “Oppenheimer” is Nolan’s willingness to delve into the gray areas. It should come as absolutely no surprise that in many circles, Oppenheimer is perceived as a villain. In other circles, he’s perceived as a hero. In this movie, Nolan boldly suggests he’s both. The other aspect of this movie that really spoke to me is the balance. There’s no way politics weren’t going to come into play here and how could they not given the provocative nature of the subject matter? That said, Nolan opts to bring complexity to a complex figure giving us good and not-so-good characters and character traits on all sides of the political spectrum. Yes, President Truman’s big moment almost comes across as cartoonish but for the most part, Nolan works hard to show a kind of mutual respect between various political points of view throughout this movie, and given the divided times we’re currently living in, I found that refreshing. Beyond that, as is often the case with Nolan’s movies, there are cold moments here (it’s safe to say that The Oppenheimers never won an award for Parents of the Year) and in a bit of a departure for the filmmaker, sex is even front and center. Meanwhile, Nolan the technical craftsman is also on full display giving us the film’s biggest of moments with virtually no CG. The film’s biggest moment to speak of is quite a visual stunner but in its own way, it’s fittingly subdued. Shocking and scary to be sure but in a very authentic way.
With an unforgettable cast, a stunning score by Ludwig Gorranson, masterclass cinematography by Hoyt Van Hoytema, and a stellar Nolan at the top of his game, “Oppenheimer” emerges as quite the cinematic experience. One that demands to be seen in a theater (see it in 70mm Imax if at all humanly possible.) On a final note, don’t let the 3-hour running time scare you away from one of 2023’s best films.
