Christopher Nolan is one of the most famous British filmmakers who specializes in creating sophisticated plots, hard to follow for inattentive viewers. If you have ever struggled with understanding one of his films, you know how frustrating it is: the plot is just disintegrating, and events make less sense. But we want to help you out with that problem. 

By reading this article, you will know what to pay attention to while watching Nolan’s movies and how you should treat the plot. You can be sure that the given knowledge will make watching your next Nolan film much more satisfying!

Paying Attention Is a Key

Christopher Nolan creates movies where even minor details matter and contribute to the plot. The lack of attention while watching his pictures may result in missing a crucial plot part. And if that happens, you will struggle to find logical explanations for further events.

To resolve that problem, you must teach yourself to stick your eyes and brain into the screen when viewing. Generally, it is a great skill to master overall, as it helps to develop your concentration. Still, we know how hard it can be to focus on a single screen in the era of fast content (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, etc.) But trust us, it will quickly pay off. 

A good advice is to watch the films when you are in the mood for them. Remember that when you are tired, you will have to force yourself to watch carefully, which is bad. Conversely, find a spare time when you feel like your brain is fresh and ready to do the job: that’s a perfect time to watch Nolan. 

Nolan Plays With Time

In ordinary pop movies, the plot is quite simple: imagine it has two points, a starting and a finishing one, and a plot line casually travels from the first to the second. Christopher Nolan doesn’t want to accept those silly rules. He chops and slices the storyline to create a unique storytelling that is both exciting and hard to understand. 

And so, as a viewer, you should always keep in mind the time period when the actions happen. The biggest exaggeration this effect received in a “Memento” movie, where the main character fights a disease causing him to lose memory frequently. By manipulating the plot deliverance, Christopher makes his viewers feel something similar to the main character. We must connect the story parts like a puzzle to create a whole image.

Background Knowledge Required

Even though this principle is not applied to each Nolan film, pictures like Dunkirk or Interstellar are tough to watch without it. 

In Dunkirk, Nolan shows us a historical battle around the French port during WWII. Before watching it, it is highly recommended to get familiar with the historical events (if you are not already), as it will make understanding storylines much easier. 

The second film, Interstellar, is not that punishing for being unaware. And it is quite logical, as it would be too much to demand knowledge of astrophysics from your viewers (the film is about space). So, in this case, additional knowledge will make the watching a little bit more interesting and relatable.

Get Ready To Watch Movies Twice

Christopher Nolan puts so many details in his movies that a normal human being can’t catch them all during the first watch-through (unless you are about to pause every scene and listen to dialogs twice). So, watching his films a second time is a fine idea, especially if you still seek answers after the first time. 

What is even more interesting, the second time you watch, it is usually not getting less interesting. Conversely, you realize things that were obscure during the first viewing, and the events make more sense. 

In our opinion, the films that shine the most during the second viewing among Nolan’s filmography are Tenet, Inception, and Memento. 

Get Familiar With Nolan by Watching His Simpler Films

Not each of Nolan’s movies requires crazy intellectual engagement and thought processes. For example, the Dark Knight Trilogy was shot to delight the wider audience of Batman lovers. Still, those films are soaked with this iconic Nolan atmosphere and gently ask you to pay attention to the plot. 

Another great Christopher movie to watch if you are new to his directing, is Insomnia. Its plot tells a story about a detective who arrives to resolve a mysterious crime in northern parts of America. But due to the features of the Alaska region at the given time of the year, the daytime lasts more than a week, causing the main character to suffer from insomnia.