I enjoyed the movie. But it is structured oddly, with various plotlines and timelines interwoven so it can be difficult to remember things like “when did these guys first meet?” because the answer can be “very early”(in the film) and also “very late” (in the real world). Lots of personalities to keep track of. I plan to see it again, because there was a lot to take in (and I’m pretty familiar with the topic).
It should be noted that the communist sympathies are never portrayed as a bad thing, spies are talked about but actual spies are downplayed, and the general tone is that moral people are Leftists and Leftists are moral people.
But, at the same time, the vile nature of government bureaucrats, the in-fighting, and vindictiveness of people in power is made clear. Government is not your friend. I think it is an unintended message, but if you read between the lines (so to speak) you can see the early stirring of the Deep State.
If you read American Prometheus, you get the same factual information in a more conventional chronology. Nolan’s time shifts allow for the Trinity test to be the climax of the movie.
Look at the list of Hollywood shills appearing at the front of the film.
The cameo appearances of Hollywood egos appears in the film to fit the schedule of those egos.
When I moved to Chicago from Boeing’s Seattle I learned that the Story was a basement below the U of Chicago and not an airplane. Now we learn the story is a mid-level bureaucrat.
It’s like some other stories currently in the news. Story tellers tell the part that is important to them.