Synopsis
Assigned to oversee the development of the atomic bomb, Gen. Leslie Groves is a stern military man determined to have the project go according to plan. He selects J. Robert Oppenheimer as the key scientist on the top-secret operation, but the two men clash fiercely on a number of issues. Despite their frequent conflicts, Groves and Oppenheimer ultimately push ahead with two bomb designs — the bigger "Fat Man" and the more streamlined "Little Boy."
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Cast
- Paul NewmanGen. Leslie R. Groves
- Dwight SchultzJ. Robert Oppenheimer
- Bonnie BedeliaKitty Oppenheimer
- John CusackMichael Merriman
- Laura DernKathleen Robinson
- Ron FrazierPeter de Silva
- John C. McGinleyRichard Schoenfield
- Natasha RichardsonJean Tatlock
- Ron VawterJamie Latrobe
- Michael BrockmanWilliam "Deke" Parsons
Recommendations
- 80
Washington Post
What Fat Man and Little Boy tells us is potent and essential. It tells us if history is dominated by individual action, then individual action has meaning -- in history everything is for keeps. - 75
Chicago Reader
Joffe may remain as variable a filmmaker as ever, but this time, at least, he gives one something really solid to think about. - 60
Empire
Certainly worth seeing for its care, authenticity and the central performances, but the suggestions of collective guilt and responsibility, and the pushing of humanity towards the brink are just too coy to ever be really effective. - 58
Entertainment Weekly
There is scarcely a performance in Fat Man and Little Boy that is less than commendable. Almost every scene is thoughtfully and tastefully (though not imaginatively) devised. But the characters and shots do not work together to tell a story. Instead, we get a bunch of inconclusive vignettes. - 50
Washington Post
Fat Man seems unsure of which human story to concentrate on. - 50
Time Out
On one level, the film compels through force of intellect, but ultimately it lacks the cohesive emotional force, the ferocity, to consistently nurture its conviction over two hours. - 40
Variety
Newman has no trouble bringing the tough-talking ‘can do’ general to life. The trouble is the scriptwriters have no interest in exploring the man behind the mission. This tends to tilt the dramatic balance toward Oppenheimer. The film falls short here, too, partially because of Schultz’ lackluster performance, but primarily because the script fails to give a clue to what made this man tick. - 40
TV Guide Magazine
Despite the considerable creative and technical talents of those involved, Fat Man And Little Boy is slow, stilted, and stultifying.
