The Imitation Game

(*** out of five)

     The Imitation Game was a fun film to add to the season of Academy contenders.  While it is not as emotionally driven as some of the other nominees, it is a brilliant portrayal of recently surfaced historical data.  This was my last film to see among the Academy nominees, and while I do not think it will win best picture, I was not at all disappointed.
     While I have not done any research, this film is based on a true story.  It is about a group of young people who are hired by the British government to decipher the code used by Germans during World War II.  Mathematicians and cryptographers are picked fresh from the surrounding universities, and the students know the government is running out of resources.  They must learn to work as a team, bringing their minds together before it is too late.
     The movie mostly centers around the life of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch).  When his character is first introduced, the audience knows that he is socially awkward.  At first, we think he is just joking, but moments later, this abnormal exchange paints the canvas for his social skills.  As a loner, Turing does not like to work with others.  During a time of war, he must learn that this is not an option, and he needs a team.  Weeding out some of those that are not well enough for the job, he soon discovers a brilliant-minded Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley).  After Clarke breaks a code faster that Turing, he realizes that she may indeed be his counterpart.  He confides in her, believing she is the only one that can understand him.  Even with Clarke by his side, Turing learns how to develop his social skills and to lightly put aside his arrogance.  Throughout the film, there are flashbacks of his childhood, explaining why it is hard for him to be social, and these moments amplify some of his personal trials.
     The movie goes at a fast pace, and it did not leave enough room for emotional development.  If the director had allowed the audience to become more emotionally involved with the characters, it would have made for a stronger movie.  The acting was well executed, but Cumberbatch and Knightley have had stronger performances in other films, and I do not believe they will win Best Actor/Actress.
     I do recommend seeing this film, at least for the history.  Due to the true story not being made public until 2013, this is something that did not appear in our history textbooks.  I do think the film will make the audience feel as if they are part of solving the puzzle, and do that, I give a thumbs up.