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Fat Man and Little Boy

Play trailer Poster for Fat Man and Little Boy PG-13 Released Oct 20, 1989 2h 6m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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50% Tomatometer 24 Reviews 46% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Assigned to oversee the development of the atomic bomb, Gen. Leslie Groves (Paul Newman) is a stern military man determined to have the project go according to plan. Groves selects J. Robert Oppenheimer (Dwight Schultz) 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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Fat Man and Little Boy

Critics Reviews

View All (24) Critics Reviews
Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Fat Man and Little Boy is a fiction based on the Manhattan Project, but it is thin and unfocused and hardly even suggests the enormous moral and practical questions that the scientists wrestled with in the New Mexico desert. Rated: 1.5/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Hal Hinson Washington Post A singular, powerful experience. Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Desson Thomson Washington Post [Fat Man] is not resoundingly disastrous. That would imply a certain energy. Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia It's possibly one of the dullest and most insubstantial war movies I've seen about the Manhattan Project. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 5/10 Jul 25, 2023 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...a watchable yet terminally erratic endeavor that benefits from its inherently compelling subject matter and stirring performances... Rated: 2.5/4 Jul 12, 2023 Full Review Blake Howard One Heat Minute “Not executed in the same effortless way as….”The Mission” or “The Killing Fields”, but you can tell that Joffe is … has a real talent of myth-busting [history].” Rated: 2/4 Feb 13, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Blu B It's a bit misleading to have Paul Newman as the main guy on the poster and top billing as he really isn't the main focus at all outside of the first half. He all but disappears for long stretches in the second. This is basically a inferior version of Nolan's Oppenheimer but the closest thing we had to a retelling of the Trinty Project for decades. It's half decently made all around, has good parts to it, and is ALMOST good overall. Considering the director and his two previous works it's a bit shocking how unfocused this can be for long strectches which is really the biggest problem. It's trying to merge a telling of the trinty project with a drama of three people involved and it can't really make it work together super well. It becomes MUCH more focused on Oppenheimer midway and it becomes a stronger picture with more focus, purpose, and is just more interesting. He isn't even in the first half hardly. It's just alternating between Cusack and Newman who never even interact together. Cusack is the weakest part and is just ok. If you cut his character completely including the romance with Dern nothing would really be lost. Just include when the accident happens and how it effect Oppenheimer and that would ne just as good. It can be gorgous to look at at certain points, solid production value, and the explosion is very well done and done in a creative way that's memorable. This should have focused squarely on Oppenheimer with Newman being a supporting character and you can flesh out the drama around him solely. The other feel very incosequential at the end of the day. Thank God Nolan already did this. It's still half decently made all around but has some dull spots in the first half and anytime it cuts back to the drama with anyone outisde Oppenhiemer it loses momentum. Newman and Schultz are solid and the best things in this though. Schultz is suprising how well he embodies Oppenheimer overall too. There really isn't any reason to watch this with Oppenhiemer (2023) unless your a big fan of any actor in this or the director. Most should skip this. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/13/24 Full Review ollie n I admit that I enjoyed it, knowing that it was fictionalized. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/25/23 Full Review John S This is an historical movie about an important part of our history. Yes, it is overly dramatic in some areas. But, if you are a fan of WWII history - as I am - you will find this movie fascinating. Seeing the sets the producers made were incredible. I could believe I was at Los Alamos. And the bombs. What I Liked: - Newman as Groves - not his best role, but you cannot not watch him (yes folks, that was a triple negative...) - Oppenheimer and his strengths and weaknesses - The scenes where Merriman is exposed to radiation and dies is wrenching - The sets and the bombs - Dr. Schoenfeld and his pets What I Did Not Like - The projected losses for America if we had invaded would be 1 million men - this was not mentioned, only a brief scene in a restaurant where some brass urged Groves to finish the bomb - As always, too much romantic drama - What happened to Merriman's diary? Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/03/23 Full Review Steve D Manhattan did this sort of thing far better. If this one would have stayed true to reality it would have been much better. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Story of human sacrifice for the advancement of W'sMD. The White Man builds bombs to kill all his enemies NOW. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Between 2.5 and 3 stars. It talks about very interesting issues, but sometimes treats them in a shallow way. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Fat Man and Little Boy

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Fat Man and Little Boy

Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - It's Your Baby Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - It's Your Baby 2:07 Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Kick It or Lick It Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Kick It or Lick It 1:51 Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - I'm Dead Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - I'm Dead 2:11 Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Optimism vs. Realism Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Optimism vs. Realism 2:13 Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Stop Playing God Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Stop Playing God 2:00 Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Is It Possible? Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Is It Possible? 1:57 Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - A Good Wife Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - A Good Wife 1:31 Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Testing the Bomb Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Testing the Bomb 2:13 Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Beyond the Theoretical Fat Man and Little Boy: Official Clip - Beyond the Theoretical 2:08 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Assigned to oversee the development of the atomic bomb, Gen. Leslie Groves (Paul Newman) is a stern military man determined to have the project go according to plan. Groves selects J. Robert Oppenheimer (Dwight Schultz) 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.
Director
Roland Joffé
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures
Rating
PG-13
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 20, 1989, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 21, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$3.3M
Runtime
2h 6m
Sound Mix
Surround
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