The life of British mathematical genius Alan Turing was one of massive achievement after massive achievement, from being a pioneer of computer science to being an integral part in cracking the Geramn enigma code during World War II. But it took a tragic turn in 1952 when he was prosecuted for the 'crime' of homosexuality, all his past works forgotten in the face of a senseless, and now long out dated law. A perfectly cast Benedict Cumberbatch leads the cast of The Imitation Game, which brings Turing's story to the big screen, delivering an equal parts thrilling and tragic biopic.
His English language debut, director Morten Tyldum (Headhunters) presents a beautifully shot depiction of Turing's life, weaving together three different periods of Turing's life: his time as a teenager at school, his efforts at cracking the Enigmas code, and his arrest in 1952. Told out of chronological order, each time frame intrudes on the order, keeping the story moving at an incredible pace, stalling only briefly from time to time thanks to some inoffensive but no less jarring flashes of humour. The jumping from one moment in time to another may seem unwieldy, but Tyldum and screen writer Graham Moore manage to keep the story coherent (though some important story beats seem to happen off screen), and the three different time frames as a wonderful narrative device, the past informing the future and vice versa. Much of our time is spent with Turing's work as a code breaker at Bletchley Park, the movie morphing into a spy thriller during these scenes. One that just so happens to take place almost entirely in a shed. We spend little time with the war, but it's presence is always felt as Turing and his team, including Matthew Goode's Hugh Alexander and Keira Knightley's Joan Clarke, fight to beat a daily deadline, after which the Enigma code is reset and all their work so far is rendered useless. Men and women poring over sheets of data shouldn't be exciting or thrilling, but with The Imitation Game it is exactly that, tension kept high by the constant reminder of what is exactly at stake.
The exploration of Turing's sexuality is kept to a minimum, limited to affecting flashbacks of a schoolboy crush, but still adds some dramatic meat to proceedings. The aforementioned flashbacks really let you get underneath the skin of the main character, with Alex Lawther putting in a fantastic turn as the young Turing, echoing Cumberbatch's performance perfectly. Cumberbatch himself delivers one of the best roles of his career, portraying every nuance of the character with ease. His arrogance and social awkwardness isn't entirely dissimilar to Cumberbatch's portrayal of Sherlock, but there is so much more going on beneath the surface. From his stance to his numerous tics, he completely inhabits the role, delivering a performance that is both triumphant and heartbreaking. He is ably supported by a fantastic cast, especially Knightley who is incredibly strong as Clarke, producing some heartbreaking moments herself, and Charles Dance being a highlight as the combative senior officer at Bletchley Park.
Absolutely absorbing and thrilling, The Imitation Game is a superbly told and exquisite looking biopic, with Cumberbatch providing a lead performance that is not easily forgotten.
