The Manhattan Project: Difference between revisions

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Paul decides to steal plutonium from [[The Government|the lab]] and use it to build an atomic bomb, partly to Make A Point, but mostly Because He Can. Paul thinks, correctly, that he has the most epic Science Fair project ever, and enters it in a Science Fair in New York City. When Dr. Mathewson and the U.S. Army figure out what Paul is up to, they are not impressed.

Features John Lithgow playing a good guy during his "serious" period, and a young [[Sex and ~~The~~ City|Cynthia Nixon]] as the hero's girlfriend Jenny.

Features John Lithgow playing a good guy during his "serious" period, and a young [[Sex and the City|Cynthia Nixon]] as the hero's girlfriend Jenny.

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Tropes include:

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** Even after Paul is caught and is discussing his options with Mathewson, he says he will give the bomb to the government only after he wins the science fair with it, and he expects them to agree.

* [[Science Fair]]: Paul says he's going to submit a project about raising a generation of hamsters in the dark to see if it improves their hearing. It's just a cover story for the real project--his atomic bomb. It's at the "45th National Science Fair" where Dr. Mathewson and [[The Government]] catch up to him.

* [[Shout Out]]: A few of them to the real Manhattan Project, specifically the Trinity nuclear test:

* [[Shout-Out]]: A few of them to the real Manhattan Project, specifically the Trinity nuclear test:

** At one point in the film, a timer reads 7:16:45. The Trinity test occurred on July 16, 1945.

** Following the Trinity test, Manhattan Project scientist Kenneth Bainbridge said to colleague Robert Oppenheimer, "Now we are all sons of bitches." This quote is alluded to twice late in the film.

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** There are also Shout Outs to two other movies dealing with the threat of nuclear weapons:

*** ''[[The Day the Earth Stood Still]]'' (the 1951 original) is playing on the TV while Paul and Jenny are planning the plutonium theft.

*** When Paul figures out that Dr. Mathewson helps build nuclear weapons, he starts referring to the scientist as "[[~~Dr. Strangelove (Film)|~~Dr. Strangelove]]" behind his back.

*** When Paul figures out that Dr. Mathewson helps build nuclear weapons, he starts referring to the scientist as "[[Dr. Strangelove]]" behind his back.

* [[Spiritual Successor]]: Arguably to [[War Games]].

* [[Tailor-Made Prison]]: Invoked by Mathewson as the potential consequences of Paul's pet project.

{{quote| '''Mathewson''': They don't care how old you are, how cute you are. They're gorillas; they can ''hurt'' you. Don't you get it? You try to tough it out with them, they'll lock you in a room somewhere and ''throw away the room.''}}

* [[~~Teachers~~ Pet]]: Roland, which is presumably why Paul makes him the [[Butt Monkey]] of the nitrogen triiodide prank.

* [[Teacher's Pet]]: Roland, which is presumably why Paul makes him the [[Butt Monkey]] of the nitrogen triiodide prank.

* [[Teen Genius]]: Definitely Paul. Maybe Roland. Likely the four geeks at the science fair, too.

* [[Time Bomb]]: Paul's atomic bomb has a digital timer.

* [[Too Clever By Half]]: Both Paul and Mathewson are guilty of this. Paul for building a nuke without thinking too deeply about the consequences of his project, and Mathewson for being too busy being proud of his plutonium production process to think of the wider ramifications of his work.

* [[Too Clever by Half]]: Both Paul and Mathewson are guilty of this. Paul for building a nuke without thinking too deeply about the consequences of his project, and Mathewson for being too busy being proud of his plutonium production process to think of the wider ramifications of his work.

* [[Truth Serum]]: The military administers some to Paul to "help him remember" after the [[It Was Here, I Swear]] incident.

* [[Wire Dilemma]]: Dr. Mathewson decides that the best option is to cut all six wires simultaneously.