Christopher Nolan was honored with the Best Director award this year by the New York Film Critics Circle for his blockbuster "Oppenheimer." In his acceptance speech during the January 4 ceremony at Tao Downtown in New York City, Nolan expressed his deepened appreciation for film criticism.
Nolan's Complex Relationship with Critics
Nolan acknowledged the complex emotional relationship directors have with critics. Responding to the question of whether he reads reviews, Nolan, being British, humorously mentioned family gatherings where relatives advise him against reading The Guardian.
An Unexpected Critique on Peloton
Sharing an amusing incident, Nolan recounted how he was on his Peloton for a workout class when the instructor criticized one of his films without realizing Nolan was in the virtual class. Despite the anonymity, Nolan appreciated the candidness and unpredictability of critiques.
“When [film critic] Rex Reed takes a shot at your film, he doesn’t ask you to work out! In today’s world, where opinions are everywhere, there is a sort of idea that film criticism is being democratized, but I for one think the critical appreciation of films shouldn’t be an instinct but it should be a profession,” Nolan remarked.
Professionalism in Film Criticism
Nolan emphasized the importance of professional film critics and their role in providing objective perspectives. While acknowledging that objectivity in cinema is paradoxical, he praised critics for their aspirations of objectivity, making criticism vital and timeless.
“What we have here tonight is a group of professionals who attempt objectivity,” Nolan continued, addressing the professional film critics in the room. “Obviously writing about cinema objectively is a paradox, but the aspirations of objectivity is what makes criticism vital and timeless and useful to filmmakers and the filmmaking community.”
The Role of Critics in Today's World
Nolan highlighted the challenges faced while making "Oppenheimer," acknowledging the necessity of choices that may risk misinterpretation. He stressed that, in today’s world, filmmakers cannot hide behind authorial intent, and the audience's interpretation holds significance.
“It’s not about what I say it is. It’s about what you receive it to be. In that world, the role of the professional critic, or the interpreter and the person who tries to give context for the reader…it’s incredibly important," Nolan concluded. "I’ve never been so grateful for careful, considered, and thoughtful writing about one of my films as I was for ‘Oppenheimer.’”
"Oppenheimer" earned some of the best reviews of Nolan’s career (it has a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes from more than 400 reviews and an 89 score on Metacritic), and it turned into a bonafide smash at the box office with $954 million. It’s the highest-grossing biographical drama of all time.
"Oppenheimer" is now available to rent and own on VOD and digital platforms.