‘The Imitation Game’ - Review by Tom Linay

The Imitation Game tells the story of mathematician genius, Alan Turing (Cumberbatch) and his attempts to break the Enigma codes that the German’s were using to send out instructions to their army. Turing is hired by the British government and stationed at Bletchley Park, where he’s tasked with cracking the coded messages that the German army were supplied with every morning. Turing assembles a team of brilliant cryptanalysts, including the dashing, debonair Hugh Alexander (Matthew Goode) and the brilliant Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley), however, none of his team are a match for Turing’s intellectual capability and his abrasive manner and social awkwardness soon causes friction with the other members of his team. While they spend each day attempting to decipher the codes using comparatively simple code-breaking techniques, Turing spends months alone, building a mysterious machine that he insists will break the code. As the war progresses and Turing appears no closer to cracking the codes, he comes under increasing pressure from the government to produce results.

It’s a gripping, involving drama about a story that absolutely needs to be told again (it has previously been covered in 2001’s Enigma). Cumberbatch delivers a wonderful performance as Turing, channeling his intelligence and fragility, while making his awkwardness feel entirely real as opposed to just a series of ticks and mannerisms. It’s possible to argue that the film doesn’t deal enough with Turing’s sexuality, especially considering he was tragically prosecuted for being a homosexual, a series of events that culminated in his suicide. However, a film based on true events as remarkable and extensive as Turing’s life and the events at Bletchley Park has to make judgement calls on what to omit, otherwise there’d be enough incident for three films.

Director, Morten Tyldum proved himself expert at telling a ripping yarn with sparky humour and pace in 2012’s Headhunters, so he’s a good choice to helm The Imitation Game. Aside from Cumberbatch, the cast is uniformly terrific and the period recreation is detailed, if a little too polished at times. However, there’s no denying that this is a classy British thriller that has the pedigree and quality to be a real contender come awards time. It’s already picked up the coveted Audience Award at the Toronto Film Festival, and that’s always a good indicator of a film’s awards prospects, with three of the last six winners subsequently going on to pick up the Oscar for Best Picture. It may not be the favourite yet but with such a moving and stirring story, Cumberbatch in career best form, plus the backing of the Weinsteins, it’s becoming a strong contender.