In a sentence, I liked it. But, it takes all of Christopher Nolan's considerable talent, and the score, and the acting, the cinematography, to keep me engaged. In a different directors's hands this would have been unwatchable to me, because subject matter just isn't something I would spend three hours watching. Like Lincoln from 2012. That was insufferable. Academics bickering amongst themselves, about science. Just wouldn't be a movie I was into.
But, when this works, and it was 80% of the time, it flows, and feels, yes, like someone noted a little like Malick, the New Mexico shots were incredible. The shots on the train. of The flow, the editing and pacing, the crispness of everything, it was excellent.
Thought it should have ended around the Harry Truman scenes, "don't let that cry baby back in here" (which could be my favorite line of the movie), the rest showcased Downey Jr, and it was great, but it really started to sag in those scenes, it didn't go off the rails, but just wore me down. Would say that the actual writing was the weakest part, and in a different movie, with sharper dialouge maybe could have engaged me more. The security clearance and Senate scenes felt very grating. maybe the shift from a more visual and awe inspiring movie, like Malick, to a kind of Sorkin style was jarring.
very classic Nolan though, that Einstein shot, I saw that coming, but still had the moment, of like yeah of course Nolan has one of those famous ending shots, where something is shown two or three different ways.
, it's some weirdo slash egoistical shyt
