In the carousel of cinematic events, the much-anticipated Barbenheimer weekend has finally dawned. Two titanic releases, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, have been embraced with critical applause and substantial box office triumphs. Particularly, enthusiasts of Nolan’s captivating storytelling style are eager to witness his latest mesmerizing feat, considering his earlier applauded endeavors, namely Tenet and Dunkirk. The man of the hour, Cillian Murphy, who is at the helm of the Oppenheimer narrative, holds the conviction that this screenplay is arguably the most riveting yet, hinting at a new zenith in Nolan’s career.
A Unique Storytelling Approach: First-Person Script
Murphy shed light on the fascinating approach Nolan adopted for sculpting the Oppenheimer script. What arrested Murphy’s attention was the unconventional first-person narrative embedded in the screenplay, a significant deviation from the normative third-person perspective prevalent in scriptwriting. This shift facilitated Murphy’s deeper comprehension of the monumental responsibility he was shouldering in portraying the central character, the iconic J. Robert Oppenheimer.
As Murphy elucidates, “This was my first encounter with a script written in first-person, and it completely took me by surprise. I soon came to realize the enormity of my responsibility because everything is being viewed through Oppenheimer’s lens, barring the monochromatic segments narrated objectively from [Lewis] Strauss’ (Robert Downey Jr.) perspective. The script stands out as one of the best I’ve read, without any qualms. Instead of the customary ‘Oppenheimer walks into the room and talks to Strauss,’ Nolan had written, ‘I walk into the room,’ and ‘I engage in a conversation with Strauss.’ Such was the composition.”
Christopher Nolan’s Dive into Oppenheimer’s Psyche
Reflecting on his cinematic experience, Murphy conceded that no other screenplay has ventured into a first-person perspective, thereby validating an earlier statement from Nolan. In a chat with Empire Magazine, Nolan confessed his maiden attempt at a first-person POV, which, to his knowledge, was also a first in the industry. Nolan’s modus operandi was to explore the labyrinth of Oppenheimer’s mind in a more profound manner, emphasizing that the narrative was an intimate unfolding of events from Oppenheimer’s vantage point rather than the traditional detached observation. Murphy speculated on how Nolan’s avant-garde narrative might influence the future of scriptwriting. As he humorously opined to Weintraub, “I’m certain every script will emulate this style henceforth. [Laughs] Everyone will be mimicking Chris.” Furthermore, Benny Safdie, Murphy’s fellow actor, vociferously declared Oppenheimer to be the crowning achievement in Nolan’s repertoire.
A Real-Life Tale: Oppenheimer
The biographical drama, Oppenheimer, borrows its plot from American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the acclaimed work by Martin Sherwin and Kai Bird. The movie provides an intimate portrayal of Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), renowned for spearheading The Manhattan Project and pioneering the creation of the atomic bomb for the United States. He later donned the mantle of chairman for the United States Atomic Energy Commission to curb the nuclear arms rivalry with the Soviet Union. The narrative delves into Oppenheimer’s complex life as he contributes to the development of one of the most lethal weapons on the planet. The illustrious ensemble includes Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Quaid, David Dastmalchian, Kenneth Branagh, Olivia Thirlby, Casey Affleck, Josh Peck, Gary Oldman, Alex Wolff, among others.
In conclusion, as a spectacular new installment in Nolan’s body of work, Oppenheimer is all set to mark a new high in cinematic storytelling. This Barbenheimer weekend, viewers are in for an enthralling cinematic treat as they get to dive deep into the intriguing life of J. Robert Oppenheimer through a unique first-person narrative that promises an unmatched immersive experience.
