re: Oppenheimer is deeply flawed.

I always find it funny when someone tries to review a movie that is universally praised and proceeds to shite on it with a high level critique.

Just say you didn’t like it. Or say nothing at all. You think EVERYONE else got it wrong but you are the smart one who analyzed it correctly?!

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But what did you find about it that was compelling enough to support 3 hours of storytelling, especially when the first act was about the creation of the bomb? Please expand. I'm genuinely curious. For reference, how many movies have been created about the Manhattan Project vs. how many movies have been made about the Strauss confirmation hearings? (Lots v. 1). The Manhattan Project is inherently dramatic. To follow that story with confirmation hearings for Secretary of Commerce is a... choice. LOL.

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I'm sure the late J. Robert Oppenheimer would agree that his life had no notable drama after the bomb.

Pack it up, Nolan. You're cutting into HueyLongJr's bedtime.

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I always find it funny when someone tries to review a movie that is universally praised and proceeds to shite on it with a high level critique.

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I find it funny when a guy with 15000 posts on a message board suggests people be more parsimonious in their communications.

It’s called Oppenheimer, not The Bomb. It’s a biopic and it covers his life. See it for what it is and it makes more sense.

Sorry Oppenheimer’s life wasn’t more dramatic for you.

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There are bewbs. So...

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Maybe that is what is missing from the third act

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It’s a biopic and it covers his life

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Which is why 1/3rd of the movie is about the senate confirmation hearing for a Commerce secretary nominee whose name is not Oppenheimer.

You know what would have made Die Hard better? If McTiernan radically compressed the existing movie and added a third act where Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson was fired in a civil hearing, in part, for impeaching the character of John McClane.

It is the typical Nolan movie. Very well done technically but overblown story that's not very compelling. There is too much going on. He needs to keep his movies under 2 hours.

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So the culmination of 3+ hours of storytelling is "I suspect he said something bad about me years ago."

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You haven’t paid attention to the movie at all.

First Act:
Introduction of Oppie
Development of Theoretical Physics
The discovery of splitting an atom

Second Act:
The developments of the first act and how they relate to the making of the Atom Bomb.

Third Act:
The actions taken place during the first two acts and what their consequences ended up being.

All of this happens through the perspective of Oppie (colored scenes) and the perspective of Strauss (black and white scenes).

The drama comes from:
- The war.
- Oppie’s love interests.
- Oppie’s moral quarrels after dropping the bomb.
- The lead up to finding out about the Russian spy at Los Alamos.
- Oppie’s security clearance hearing.
- Oppie’s conversation with Einstein.
- The “back door” channels within DC that Strauss took to end Oppie’s career.
- Strauss’s confirmation hearing.
- Oppie’s realization of what he’s created and the major impact he had in the world for all of eternity.

It’s two different stories that work their way to a point the long the movie goes on with a series of flash backs.


I honestly believe that Oppie didn’t want the clearance renewed. I feel like he knew what Strauss was up to and played the long game in ruining his career as a politician.

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It’s two different stories that work their way to a point the long the movie goes on with a series of flash backs.

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Cool analysis and a great fit with how Nolan likes to tinker with narrative structure.

However the normal time (color) sequence runs out of narrative momentum after the bomb is working. The security review is just boring. I agree with you that Oppenheimer didn’t care. But..

The Strauss motive. He was either right in his nuclear policy, or he was petty over being insulted. Neither are strong enough hooks to play the counterpoint to the normal-time narrative.

To the extent the movie works, I think it’s because RDJ is such a great actor. Alden Ehrenreich was also fantastic in that act.