 |
| Benedict Cumberbatch stars in The Imitation Game |
Are You Paying Attention?
Rotten Tomatoes Plot: During the winter of 1952, British authorities entered the home of mathematician, cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to investigate a reported burglary. They instead ended up arresting Turing himself on charges of 'gross indecency', an accusation that would lead to his devastating conviction for the criminal offense of homosexuality - little did officials know, they were actually incriminating the pioneer of modern-day computing. Famously leading a motley group of scholars, linguists, chess champions and intelligence officers, he was credited with cracking the so-called unbreakable codes of Germany's World War II Enigma machine. An intense and haunting portrayal of a brilliant, complicated man, THE IMITATION GAME follows a genius who under nail-biting pressure helped to shorten the war and, in turn, save thousands of lives.
"Sometimes, it's the people who noone imagines anything of, who do the things that noone can imagine." Turing's tale is remarkable, as is Cumberbatch's performance (easily one of the year's best.) The Imitation Game lacks tension, but excels at storytelling and (surprisingly) humor. Cumberbatch's battles with Charles Dance, Matthew Goode and Mark Strong are a joy to watch; and Keira Knightley delights as always. Excellent use of flashbacks, and a long-overdue shoutout for puzzle-solvers everywhere. Alan is a complex character, and Cumberbatch manages to show each layer with dazzling proficiency. Well-paced, even without action sequences. Quite possibly, 2014's smartest film.
Grade: B+
