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ppenheimer-damon.jpg

For All Its Pretension, Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' Looks Refreshingly Basic

By Dustin Rowles | Film | May 8, 2023 |

By Dustin Rowles | Film | May 8, 2023 |


ppenheimer-damon.jpg

No one saw it, but nearly a decade ago when WGN was in the original content game (does WGN still exist?), they produced a series called Manhattan, about the Manhattan Project. It was “inspired” by history, and while historical figures were alluded to, most of the characters were fictional. John Benjamin Hickey, who played the lead, was one of the few known names at the time, but wow, that series launched a lot of actors: David Harbour (Stranger Things), Rachel Brosnahan (Mrs. Maisel), Ashley Zukerman (Succession), Michael Chernus (Patriot), and Katja Herbers (Evil), among others.

It was a good show, although no one was going to pay attention to it on WGN. It lasted two seasons before being pushed into the dustbin of history. I bring this up not just to mention that phenomenal cast but because — lush cinematography aside — Oppenheimer doesn’t look that different from Manhattan. The actors are more famous, and there are some black-and-white sections because Christopher Nolan is going to Christopher Nolan, but the story itself does not feature time holes, dreams within dreams, black holes, or planets where time is different.

This is the story of the Manhattan Project, and it’s essentially the same story familiar to most folks knowledgeable of The Manhattan Project (a decreasing number of people, I suspect). This is a story about how Robert Oppenheimer led a team in the race against Nazi Germany to develop the first atomic bomb. It’s the story of Oppenheimer’s triumph on the eve of its first use against Hiroshima and his misgivings and revulsion after the bomb was used again in Nagasaki. It’s your basic, expertly-made Oscar bait, more along the lines of Dunkirk than Tenet, thank God. Also, Matt Damon plays every Matt Damon character ever, which is to say: The smart white guy with the witty but smug retorts. Keep an eye out, too, for Flo Pugh, Robert Downey, Jr., Emily Blunt, and other famous white people.

Oppenheimer opens on July 21st, opposite Barbie.