Oppenheimer: the double narrative framing device used by Christopher Nolan allows the film to expand the story it’s telling, going beyond the story of Project Manhattan to include a look into the Red Scare and power plays in Washington. It’s generally all interesting, but the pace suffers a bit toward the middle; also, for a film this long, its insights into most of the many characters portrayed are very superficial. The performances (and the film’s tone) are very solemn but generally very efficient; Cillian Murphy plays the title character as a brilliant cipher, cold and calculating, but not devoid of a conscience. Emily Blunt plays his protective and troubled wife, but there’s something odd about her performance that is hard to place. Robert Downey Jr., as a Washington power player that takes Oppenheimer under his wing, is very good, probably the best performance of the bunch. Matt Damon, as the tough-as-nails chief military figure in the project, is also fine. The costume design, by Ellen Mirojnick, and the production design, by Ruth De Jong, are both efficient and somber. Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema captures it all beautifully and creates some meaningful effects with his lights. Composer Ludwig Göransson’s musical score is used too forcefully, as the sound design almost drowns the dialogue under it; it is, in any case, a very intense piece of music. Editor Jennifer Lame smartly changes stock (naturally something pre-planned) to indicate the different periods and points of view; there’s great clarity to the narrative, even if it needs more tightening.