The Imitation Game - directed by Morten Tyldum
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knigthley, Charles Dance, Matthew Goode, Mark Strong
Running time: 114 minutes
Rated: M for adult themes
As if I wasn't already excited enough to see this film due to the subject matter reading the directors name as the film started added to it.
Morten Tyldum is the Norwegian director responsible for one of my favourite movies of the last five years - "Headhunters" (review here)
It's a bonus but the real reason I was so keen to see this is because Alan Turing- the subject of the film- was effectively the Father of the modern computer.
His actions during World War 2 aided the allied war effort immeasurably (although it is estimated that it shortened the war by at least 2 years and saved around 14,000,000 lives)
Sadly he killed himself aged 41 after being charged with indecency once it was discovered that he was homosexual.
Turing's homosexuality is a big part of the story told here but it is dealt with as an intrinsic part of the man and not the entire point of the movie.
Note: There is still debate as to whether it was suicide or not - refer here and here
Regardless this movie looks to be a strong awards season contender too with Benedict Cumberbatch likely to get an Oscar nomination.
Cumberbatch deserves whatever awards recognition he gets. He absolutely owns this film.
He uses his commanding voice to great affect and combined with a stammer and a general demeanor of awkwardness he creates a fascinating character in Alan Turing.
The film hops between wartime Britain, Turing's college days and post war Britain while Turing is being investigated by police.
It is in those earlier days that we see an unpopular Alan befriending Christopher Morcom who hands him a book on codes and cyphers suggesting that he might take to it.
It is Alan's almost complete lack of social skills or graces and an extremely logical view on everything including what others mean when they talk that leads him to this conclusion and he was correct.
Alex Lawther plays the young Alan and does a terrific job.
His discussion with the headmaster who gives him some distressing news is the highlight of his performance. The camera lingers on Lawther for a long time in this scene and his face is a picture of emotion both expressed and concealed.
In the war time era we are introduced to Joan Clarke played by Keira Knightley.
I loved her job interview scene.
It serves to show how women were regarded at the time and also sets up rather nicely the themes that thinking beyond the norm was what was required to complete the task that Turing and his team were charged with.
And that would be cracking the Nazi 'Enigma' codes.
Forget what U571 'taught' you - the real story is that Alan Turing and a group of linguists, mathematicians and cypher experts cracked the nearly impossible codes using an enigma machine smuggled out of Germany and a machine that Turing designed named 'Christopher' in the film but in fact known as 'bombe' in reality.
They in fact had more than 200 of these amazing machines cranking away before the war was over but this film focuses on the first.
It doesn't pay to worry too much about the changes that the script makes to the real history- the essence is there.
There is only a brief mention of the work of the Polish team whose great work Turing and co built on and the letter to Winston Churchill is not quite accurate in its timing but this is a based on fact exercise- not a documentary.
However you feel about small changes there is no denying that "The Imitation Game" is never less than riveting.
The screenplay and direction are top notch and the cast reads as a who's who of current British talent.
Charles Dance is his usual awesomely intimidating self. An early highlight is his interview with Turing - gloriously funny.
Mark Strong is also in typically fine form as MI6 operative Stewart Menzies.
'There are only five military intelligence organisations' declares one of Turings team to which Menzies replies 'That's the spirit'.
Rory Kinnear who is probably best known from his work alongside Daniel Craig in the current Bond cycle has a decent role as a post war cop intent on discovering a secret that he is sure that Turing is keeping.
"The Imitation Game" covers a lot of ground and does it really well.
There is a lot more that could have been told but as a two hour movie I think that it hits just about all of the key points that it should.
Very, very good movie and a great start to 2015.
Running time: 114 minutes
Rated: M for adult themes
As if I wasn't already excited enough to see this film due to the subject matter reading the directors name as the film started added to it.
Morten Tyldum is the Norwegian director responsible for one of my favourite movies of the last five years - "Headhunters" (review here)
It's a bonus but the real reason I was so keen to see this is because Alan Turing- the subject of the film- was effectively the Father of the modern computer.
His actions during World War 2 aided the allied war effort immeasurably (although it is estimated that it shortened the war by at least 2 years and saved around 14,000,000 lives)
Sadly he killed himself aged 41 after being charged with indecency once it was discovered that he was homosexual.
Turing's homosexuality is a big part of the story told here but it is dealt with as an intrinsic part of the man and not the entire point of the movie.
Note: There is still debate as to whether it was suicide or not - refer here and here
Regardless this movie looks to be a strong awards season contender too with Benedict Cumberbatch likely to get an Oscar nomination.
 |
| Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing (left) and the real Turing (right) |
He uses his commanding voice to great affect and combined with a stammer and a general demeanor of awkwardness he creates a fascinating character in Alan Turing.
The film hops between wartime Britain, Turing's college days and post war Britain while Turing is being investigated by police.
It is in those earlier days that we see an unpopular Alan befriending Christopher Morcom who hands him a book on codes and cyphers suggesting that he might take to it.
It is Alan's almost complete lack of social skills or graces and an extremely logical view on everything including what others mean when they talk that leads him to this conclusion and he was correct.
Alex Lawther plays the young Alan and does a terrific job.
His discussion with the headmaster who gives him some distressing news is the highlight of his performance. The camera lingers on Lawther for a long time in this scene and his face is a picture of emotion both expressed and concealed.
In the war time era we are introduced to Joan Clarke played by Keira Knightley.
I loved her job interview scene.
 |
| Keira Knightley - perfection... obviously |
And that would be cracking the Nazi 'Enigma' codes.
Forget what U571 'taught' you - the real story is that Alan Turing and a group of linguists, mathematicians and cypher experts cracked the nearly impossible codes using an enigma machine smuggled out of Germany and a machine that Turing designed named 'Christopher' in the film but in fact known as 'bombe' in reality.
They in fact had more than 200 of these amazing machines cranking away before the war was over but this film focuses on the first.
It doesn't pay to worry too much about the changes that the script makes to the real history- the essence is there.
There is only a brief mention of the work of the Polish team whose great work Turing and co built on and the letter to Winston Churchill is not quite accurate in its timing but this is a based on fact exercise- not a documentary.
However you feel about small changes there is no denying that "The Imitation Game" is never less than riveting.
 |
| The cast could hardly be better..... maybe if Tom Hiddleston was included but still- amazing line up. |
Charles Dance is his usual awesomely intimidating self. An early highlight is his interview with Turing - gloriously funny.
Mark Strong is also in typically fine form as MI6 operative Stewart Menzies.
'There are only five military intelligence organisations' declares one of Turings team to which Menzies replies 'That's the spirit'.
Rory Kinnear who is probably best known from his work alongside Daniel Craig in the current Bond cycle has a decent role as a post war cop intent on discovering a secret that he is sure that Turing is keeping.
"The Imitation Game" covers a lot of ground and does it really well.
There is a lot more that could have been told but as a two hour movie I think that it hits just about all of the key points that it should.
Very, very good movie and a great start to 2015.
- RATING: 90 / 100
- CONCLUSION: See it!
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