Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer is a masterful and intellectually charged thriller that seamlessly weaves elements of character study, courtroom drama, and historical lessons into a gripping three-hour cinematic (IMAX-worthy) experience.

Cillian Murphy's (Peaky Blinders) Oscar-worthy portrayal of Julius Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, is nothing short of exceptional. From the very first scene, where a poisoned apple sets the urgent tone, to the haunting moments of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the film keeps audiences on the edge of their seats for two and a half hours. Unfortunately, the film goes on for almost another hour.

Nolan's decision to cast half of Hollywood proves to be a wise choice, considering the complexity of the story, the physical similarity of these 1940s men and the time span it covers in flashbacks. He's said its to help the audience follow who's who. It can't hurt for box office success either.

Oppenheimer reminded me of Oliver Stone's JFK (1991) with its large cast, courtroom scenes, and study of a turning point in American history. The cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Kenneth Branagh, Florence Pugh, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Josh Harnett, Tony Goldwyn, Matt Damon, Matthew Modine, Tom Conti and (whew!) Gary Oldman. Each sinking into almost identifiable roles. Except perhaps Matt Damon, who seems to think he was acting in The Monuments Men (2014) or one of the Ocean's movies.

From its seamlessly dizzy flow of flashbacks to its weighted introspection, every second of Oppenheimer is definitely a Nolan film. And one of his best. Telling a historical story, with accuracy respected, gives Nolan some restraint in storytelling that reduces his head-scratching tendencies (Tenet, Interstellar, Inception). Oppenheimer sits on the shelf with Nolan's Dunkirk, Memento and The Dark Knight.

Nolan manages to make complex subjects such as quantum mechanics accessible to the audience, pulling them into a gripping tale. However, the film falters slightly in its third act, shying away from a potentially more impactful climax, leading to a less riveting courtroom finale.

In a nutshell: Riveting and important, until it pulls back. Two and a half hours of truly great cinema stuck in a three-hour film.

Where to see it: In theatres now. Oppenheimer was shot in IMAX and should be seen that way.

Oscar Potential: Expect a sweep of nominations across Picture, Director, Cinematography, Screenplay, Acting and Technical categories. 

Wins could fall on Cillian Murphy. Florence Pugh (wow) does powerful emotional work in a thankless role and Emily Blunt is relegated to a wife role leaving more focus on others.

Cillian Murphy, in almost every scene of the film, is excellent and riveting. A nearly unrecognizable Robert Downey Jr. is a solid contender for Best Supporting Actor.

With its exceptional quiet-to-explosive sound design and Ludwigh Göransson's emotive score, Oppenheimer's best chances for Oscar wins lie in these categories.

The Ten Buck Review: Worth twenty bucks. See it in IMAX.