The Imitation Game

This is a very well made movie and I enjoyed most of it. The acting, directing and screenplay of "The Imitation Game" are amazing. The typical World War II hero portrayed on film usually fights the enemy head on and charges boldly (but sometime reluctantly) into battle. John Wayne and Tom Hanks are some of the first actors who come to mind performing these kinds of characters. Not everyone who served in the war effort however used a gun or a plane and one such person was Alan Turing. I spent much of the start of the movie laughing because of how good the script was and how well the actors, especially Benedict Cumberbatch, delivered the smart lines. The movie has a political message however that and I felt it interfered with the drama. The marketing for this movie was handled well because the film will reach a broader audience as a result.

Upon hearing the opening line "Are you paying attention", I sat up in my theater chair because I was reminded of the first line from Christopher Nolan's "The Prestige". The consequent opening monologue in "The Imitation Game" led me to believe that you shouldn't watch this movie casually or you would miss the full entertainment value of the story. It turned out that the movie had an important but controversial message. I enjoyed Alan Turing as a character because he reminds me of Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg in "The Social Network". Others have already made a connection between these two real-life men and so this resemblance on film makes perfect sense. I was impressed by the use of the non-linear plot because it was organized and easy to follow. This is one instance where the less you know about the plot; the better you will enjoy it. I will therefore avoid specifics but suffice it to say that all the dramatic scenes, especially when the characters have a breakthrough, felt genuine and exciting. Some people might watch this movie and think that it is undermining the contribution those who did the actual fighting in the war. The idea that the Allies allowed some of their own to die while preventing the death of others depending on whether or not it would tip off the Nazis to the fact that Enigma was cracked seems to be a hard truth and may in fact be overstated in this show for the sake of drama but it is downplayed at least. Instead, "The Imitation Game" communicates that certain battles and events during the war ended in favor of the Allies because of the work of code breakers. The movie pays tribute to Alan Turing's secret contribution to winning the war but the film gradually shifts focus to the abuse he underwent because of his sexual orientation. The story is not completely accurate in terms of history so we have to take that into account when we consider the message of this film. Turing's social difficulties in the movie were exaggerated and there was no animosity between him and Denniston. Denniston in actuality believed in the work of those he supervised. John Cairncross and Turing did not work together and so it appears that this subplot about Soviet spies was introduced so that Turing would have to choose between his reputation and his lifestyle. Will he expose the spy and suffer the consequences of his lifestyle or will be keep quiet to avoid going to jail? Finally, the chemical castration did not hinder Turing's ability to work and think but actually inspired him in his work on mathematical biology. If the theme of this movie is that we should not criminalize a person because of sexual orientation then I agree with that. The slight problem I have is that "The Imitating Game" makes Alan Turing's story more tragic than it actually was.

All the filmmakers behind this movie did a masterful job but I give most of the credit to Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley. Cumberbatch's performance deserved the Oscar nomination he recevied but these days he is in danger of being overrated. People seem to think he is a god of acting but I believe he is just a genius in that field. Knightley also deserved her Oscar nomination and the script won for Best Adapted Screenplay. I was hoping it would win. The script passed through many famous hands such as those of Leonardo DiCaprio, Ron Howard and David Yates. Some scenes were filmed at the real life locations of the story by the way. Alexandre Desplat is quickly becoming one of my favorite composers even though his work on this movie isn't as good as his past works. It still got him another Oscar nomination (he received a total of two that year and won for his other nominated score). Other Academy Award nominations that "The Imitation Game" garnished include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing and Production Design. I wish that it had won Best Picture because I prefer it just barely over the other nominated films I have seen.

"Are you paying attention" because this movie wishes to make a statement. "The Imitation Game" felt a tad preachy but "J. Edgar" lacked the excitement and wit that this movie provides. This is a World War II movie with code breaking, primitive computers and a bit of espionage thrown in. Even though computing hardware has been around since the 19th century, I had always thought that the first computers were a product of the 50's and 60's. To see one being invented and put to use in the 40's was interesting. We are also witnessing the genesis of the idea of artificial intelligence. By the end of the movie however, "The Imitation Game" is a political statement and that message overshadows the film's other qualities. Movies about slavery or segregation do not exist to persuade the public to abolish slavery or segregation because that has already been done in most countries. Still, these movies can send subtle messages about the dangers of racism, which can still be found in our society. I would have preferred more subtly with "The Imitating Game". I don't wish to offend anyone by my comments. I only wish to analyze this movie in order to figure out what makes it great and what holds it back.

3.5 Stars