Oppenheimer

Director: Christopher Nolan

26 July 2023

See

Her: Oppenheimer by Christopher Nolan, a biopic about the man who invented the atomic bomb.

Him: Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) director of the Manhattan project, father of the atomic bomb as he changes the course of history, for better or worse. Not strictly a linear depiction of his trajectory from formative years at university, studying quantum physics, meeting his contemporaries; Kenneath Brannah, Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Josh Hartnett, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr, in an all star cast supporting the smartest man in the world make a weapon that could end it.

Think

Her: It’s a very Christopher Nolan film and I was wondering how he will apply his complicated storytelling to such a well known story. He did it by introducing a couple dozen characters that all look alike for the first hour without properly introducing them. And for the rest of the film you feeling stupid trying to make those connections. Watching for the second time for example, I discovered that he had a brother. My favourite part is probably the music. Least favourite is Nolan’s direction and Emily Blunt’s acting. 

Him: “I don’t know if we can be trusted with the bomb. Buty I know the Nazi’s can’t,” is Oppenheimer’s rationale. The most compelling parts to me were the quiet conversations. With Einstein. With other dissenting scientists. With a menacing Casey Affleck. Gary Oldman as the president. Dane Dehaan’s calm character’s disquiet. Christopher Nolan sourced talent for every role, even the director/actor Safdie brother, Benjamin Safdie as the scientist working on the hydrogen bomb. Scenes shimmering with atoms and physics shimmering are threaded through, but my favourite was delivering the ‘we did it’ scene and the stamping feet in the stands which reverated throughout, reminiscent of similar scenes with overwhelming sound of rising from the pit in Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar where marooned astronauts attempt docking while their spaceship spins.

Feel

Her: I wish it made me more scared. More overwhelmed. Wish there was more told about the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombing, less about politics. And though I understand exactly why he did it this way, the movie didn’t make me feel much.

Him: I don’t know what the point of Florence Pugh’s character was. Yes they’re historical figures but I feel Nolan’s focus is on the macro at the expense of micro. And I wasn’t invested in her relationship with Oppenheimer. It did show he was a flawed and relatable genius and the limitations and restrictions on women at the time. But it was a great delivery of “I am become death, destroyer of worlds.” I’ll need to rewatch the first 10 minutes which the 70mm screening I attended regrettably skipped.