Oppenheimer

Jul 9, 2025

The movie is dialogue-heavy but never boring, even at 3 hours.
Einstein has a mysterious, wise presence.
Almost every role is played by a familiar face—huge cast.
Robert Downey Jr. (RDJ) stands out as Lewis Strauss. He looks much older than in Iron Man, likely due to makeup.
Strauss’s deep grudge against Oppenheimer becomes a major plotline, which is both strange and interesting.
The final stretch of the bomb-building segment is especially exciting.

J. Robert Oppenheimer studies physics in Europe and returns to teach in the U.S.
He becomes involved with leftist and communist groups through Jean Tatlock and later Kitty, whom he marries.
During WWII, General Leslie Groves selects Oppenheimer to lead the Manhattan Project.
Oppenheimer gathers top scientists at Los Alamos to build the atomic bomb.
After much effort, the Trinity test succeeds.
The bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending the war.
Oppenheimer is haunted by the bomb’s destruction and begins to speak against further nuclear weapons development.
He opposes the hydrogen bomb and loses favor with the U.S. government.
Lewis Strauss, a former ally and now political figure, feels personally slighted by Oppenheimer.
Strauss secretly orchestrates a private security hearing to destroy Oppenheimer’s reputation.
The hearing is one-sided, and Oppenheimer loses his security clearance, effectively ending his influence.
The film ends with a flashback to a conversation between Oppenheimer and Einstein, implying their work may have started a global chain reaction.