The Imitation Game - Review

"I know it's not ordinary. But whoever loved ordinary?" – A review of The Imitation Game.

Alan Turing was a truly incredible man. A codebreaker in World War 2, he was a codebreaker responsible for cracking the German Enigma machine and is even known as the "father of modern computer science". His contributions to science were nothing short of revolutionary and his work truly defined modern technology – so you'd think he was celebrated and adored, wouldn't you? The tragedy of Alan Turing was that his accomplishments weren't enough to stop persecution – no amount of achievement was enough for society at the time when you happened to be gay. His life was remarkable yet devastatingly tragic, and The Imitation Game is his story.

Released in 2014 and directed by Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game follows Turing's story, taking inspiration from a book by Andrew Hodges, "Alan Turing: The Enigma". The film isn't linear but rather weaves through Turing's achievements during the war and the challenges he faced afterwards. The main plot follows Turing as he joins a secret team tasked with cracking German code, and we watch as the team is formed, as machines are developed and ethical dilemmas are wrestled with, as well as getting an insight into his personal life. We watch his close friendship with his friend and colleague, Joan Clarke and eventually, his prosecution for his sexuality. The plot truly showcases his genius and the adversity he faced and is genuinely moving and completely compelling.

Benedict Cumberbatch delivered a career defining performance as Turing. He captured his incredible intelligence and his endearing social awkwardness perfectly, and it's no wonder that he was nominated for an Oscar for the role. Kiera Knightley, as Joan Clarke, brought the brilliant female mathematician to life, earning her an Academy Award and bringing strength and warmth to the performance. Supporting cast members, like Matthew Goode, Charles Dance and Mark Strong brought authenticity and gravitas to their performances, and the chemistry between the cast as a whole only enhances the emotional impact of the film.

The film explores the complexity of personal identity, the moral dilemmas faced by a nation at war, and of course the consequences of intolerance and discrimination. You're forced to reflect on questions about individual rights verses national security, and when thinking of Turing himself you can't help but think on the cost of genius and of course the cost of discrimination – watching a man who had contributed so much be persecuted for simply being who he was is not an easy watch, but it is a very powerful cinematic statement which reflects the attitudes of the times.

There are of course creative liberties taken in the film for the sake of dramatic effect; some timelines are slightly altered, and codebreaking is essentially simplified. There's a fair few historical inaccuracies, and I must admit that I did think that Turing's homosexuality was downplayed a fair bit. Despite this though, I still enjoyed this film and found it to be moving and inspirational. It's engaging, thoughtful and full of amazing performances, shining a light on the brilliant work of Alan Turing and the team he worked with. Overall, despite a few historical inaccuracies, I really loved this film and would recommend it to anyone.

Written by Tam Page

Posted by Mr. Tomney

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