The Imitation Game [Movie Review]

I have been waiting for this movie for a very long time. I do not know where I first heard of the movie, but I had been anticipating it for a while. I first thought it was coming out in late November, and a Daily Show clip confirmed that. 

How I felt every time I heard the movie was not yet opening near me.

But no. No. Not in November. I think it had to do with the Theory of Everything being moved forward. So, then I found a date for early December. The 12th to be precise.

5 out of 5 stars.

Again... it was not to be. That was a limited release, in like 8 or 9 theaters in places such as California and New York... So I was forced to wait even longer. Finally, the real release date came. December 25th, a holiday... but sadly I was unable to make it to the theater for the release date. But finally, after New Years I was able to make it to the theater.

They got the hair style right!

The Wait was Worth It.
And hilariously the two girls I was sitting next to thought so as well. They were having a collective 'crisis' when Benedict first spoke. The house was also packed, not an empty seat in the theater. This for a movie that had been out for over a week. That speaks volumes, even though this was a Friday night.

Everyone wants to cast some Tywin, er Charles Dance.

This is not your typical World War II movie. This is a nerd movie. This movie is about how intelligence is the most powerful force in overcoming any crisis. It is also about the human condition in all its shapes and forms, and how (to quote the movie) "sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine."

There is a lot in this movie.

So, be forewarned, there will be Spoilers Below!

Turing, Clarke, Hilton, Alexander, Cairncross.
(Do a circle left from Turing).

Yes, the main story is about Alan Turing and the creation of the Bombe (which they call 'Christopher' in the movie). However it is built inside of a frame story surrounding the events at the end of Turing's life. Which if you did not know concerns that fact that in 1952 Turing was charged with 'gross indecency' under the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885 due to his homosexuality. He was found guilt, suffered through a year of hormone treatment (that rendered him impotent and caused gynaecomastia), and finally committed suicide in 1954. He was 41 years old. These should not be spoilers, this is history.   

Now, you've probably, nay hopefully, seen Sherlock. Or Star Trek into Darkness. You know the seriousness that Benedict Cumberbatch brings to his roles.

He goes beyond that in The Imitation Game.

He displays an amazing range of acting skills and amazing emotional depth. You know he was a good actor before... this is just an amazing performance. He sells it every step of the way. He captured Turing's stutter convincingly. But it is more than just that. He captures so much of the awkwardness of a person who (may or may not) suffered from Asperger syndrome or may have been on the autism spectrum. (Read here).

Alex Lawther, he plays young Alan Turing.

But it was not just Benedict Cumberbatch that gave an amazing performance. Keira Knightly was very solid in her role as Joan Clarke. She actually brings a strong dramatic performance to her role, despite the fact that she is far more attractive than the historical Joan Clarke (this has been brought up as an odd casting choice, so I mention it). Thankfully her beauty is not actually important to her role, it is her brain that makes Clarke such an amazing character (and historical figure).

Let us not forget Alex Lawther who portrays young Alan Turing. Another touching performance. Anyone who was an outcast or not in the popular kids click at school can identify in some measure with Turing's (perhaps fictionalized) school age dilemmas.

Now, there are some historical inaccuracies in the movie, just as there were in Monuments Men. I'll not go into detail about that, but you can look them up online. Some of the historically correct things were surprising, such as the death of his friend C. Morcom (which would have a major impact on Alan Turing's later life).

This movie is amazing.
This movie is powerful.
This movie is about the father of modern computing.
You are currently sitting at a machine that might not exist as it does today without him.
You should go and see this movie.