Christopher Nolan’s hugely-anticipated biographical thriller, “Oppenheimer”, made its big screen debut this Friday.
Aside from him bagging the cream of the crop of actors from Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek and Kenneth Branagh, the story, based on Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s 2005 biography “American Prometheus”, is a drawcard.
It centres on J. Robert Oppenheimer (Murphy), a theoretical physicist who played a pivotal role in developing the first nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project.
In doing so, he became synonymous with the Atomic Age.
In a recently held press junket, Murphy shed light on shouldering the weight of the eponymous lead.
He said: “It's a dream, really. I never imagined to be working with all these actors in one movie. I think it's one of the greatest modern ensembles that Christopher Nolan has put together.
“But that just shows you how everybody wants to work with Chris. These actors will turn up because they love his movies and his writing. He's an incredible director!
“So, yes, it was a gift for me every day. Also, when you wake up knowing you are doing a scene with Matt Damon, Kenneth Branagh, Emily Blunt, or Gary Oldman, it's just kind of electrifying. So, you have to turn up the volume on your own performance a little bit.”
In continuing to sing Nolan’s praises, he added: “Well, I think he's kind of the ideal director because he writes, directs, and produces the movies. He’s incredible visually, and he is extraordinary with actors. Very few directors have all those talents in one person.”
Is this story one that will resonate with audiences today?
Murphy explained: “I think what's extra special about this movie is that it’s talking about the world. It's really digging up what it means to be human and our responsibility as humans on this planet, and what we do with the power that we can harness – which, in this case, is this extraordinary destructive and appalling weapon.
“I think it was Truffaut who said that we go to films not only to escape from life but also to learn about life. And I believe ‘Oppenheimer’ is one of those great movies that is incredibly entertaining, but also makes you think.’’
He continued: “Yes, there's a universality to it that people connect to. People understand the themes that are in this movie. There are big questions being asked of the audience, and no answers being given – which I think is always excellent filmmaking.
“But it's also a thriller and a love story, and to me, there are elements of horror in there as well.
“So, all that just resonates with an audience. And I think the period setting, however familiar or not you may be with what happened in 1945, will wrap you up in it too.
“This movie grabs you by the throat from the beginning, and you just don't take a breath from start to finish.
“We are now living in a nuclear age because of what happened then. I mean, Oppenheimer changed the world, and we are living with the fallout of that event ever since.”
Blunt, who is cast as Kitty Oppenheimer (Robert’s wife), and Matt Damon as General Leslie Groves (Robert’s military handler), shed light on their casting.
Blunt shared: “We knew because Matt had come over to hang out with my husband (she’s married to John Krasinski) right after Chris Nolan had been over to see him and given Matt the script to read. So, I knew that Matt was meeting him. And, I mean, any chance any of us could get to work with him has us all sort of champing at the bit.”
“What was kind of funny was that – as we live in the same apartment building – when he came to see me, he knew that he was going to Emily with the part too, but he didn't want it to seem like he was just kind of one-stop shopping. Then he bumped into John in either the elevator or the lobby, and they talked for half an hour, just kind of director to director, you know,
“Chris later admitted that he knew he was coming to Emily with the part, but he waited five days or so, knowing she was going to be in LA, and then she came over to his house and read the script,” Damon added.
Like Murphy, Damon had nothing but high praise for Nolan.
He shared: “He's just got the level of attention to detail that, for instance, Stanley Kubrick had, where no detail is too small.
“And then there is his depth of knowledge, his research, and his understanding of the dynamics at play between all these different characters, knowing the way to get these ideas in succinctly and fit them into a movie.
“I mean, the book that this is adapted from is like a tome, dense with fine print. I remember needing glasses to even read the book! It was very thoroughly researched, but Chris somehow was able to kind of get all of it into this film, and what that means is that each frame is entirely packed and full of information.
“You could watch this movie 10 times and get something different each time because it’s so rich and dense.”
Blunt weighed in: “You just feel his command of excellence, which is vast. So, everyone has to match him where he is. And I don't find Chris exacting, as some people have said.
“I find him really curious and interested in what you might bring or do, making you understand he's cast you for a reason. He lets you know that and then wants to see what wings you have – which I love about him.”
The cast admitted to being given a fair amount of creative freedom in the execution of their roles and found it refreshing and empowering.
In watching the results of the hard work that went into making the film, Blunt said: “I saw it with John, Robert, and his wife (Susan), and it was very emotional. I felt like I was inside of it, as if the arms of the movie came out, wrapped around me, and pulled me right into it. It was a bone-shattering experience. I loved it.”
Damon admitted: “Yeah, me too. ‘Oppenheimer’ is great and overwhelming. Watching it was like the experience I had reading the script, although that feeling was magnified by the film. It was written in the first person, which I'd never seen before.”
Blunt added: “Watching it feels like being on a runaway train. It's so exciting!”
∎ “Oppenheimer” is showing at cinemas nationwide.