Ironic Turn of Events

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2014)

Benedict Cumberbatch is the soul of the film. Armed with one of the most intelligent scripts of the year, he has managed to convey all the forces that lived inside a very special human being, Mr. Alan Turing. He was the man who for whatever circumstances, was able to understand the laws of logic, math, and strategy, in order to solve a riddle that would lead to saving many human lives and ending one of the worst catastrophes civilizations has endured.
Recruited by a secret organization, Turing and a team set out to solve a complex set of codes that will allow England and the allies to stop the Nazis. It is a challenging task, and it appears impossible because of the laws of probability. There are just too many possible combinations. Turing, however, is a brilliant mathematician, and with the support of his team, and the invention of what many would consider the first computer, he makes enough advances to give the allies an upper hand. That is not enough because of the complexity of the matter, but he might have been a key element in ending the war.
It is a world of secrets, and this motif evident throughout the film, as everything around the project is secretive. Some people know bits and pieces, and even those who supposedly know everything, are only allowed to reveal bits because otherwise, events might turn out differently. The bosses manipulate secrets to get results, the members of the team know enough to destroy each other, and most importantly, if one of these secrets came out at the wrong moment, the results could be catastrophic.
In the end, the main secret comes out, and what results is one of the biggest tragedies that could have happened to the civilized world for a life is destroyed, a man who saved many others with his passion and his drive, and his skills. For years he lived in self-imposed darkness, aware of his limitations and living in fear, and when he is finally exposed, he gives up the personal. At the end, he's recognized for his achievements and "pardoned", but there is a concluding and ironic note of sadness because the civilization he struggled to save is the one that destroyed him.
Cumberbatch carries the film, giving a raw portrayal of a moment torn by his own frustrations, a man who is good, can't truly fight he knows and fears, who in spite of his constant turmoil, puts others ahead of him. Yes, he is arrogant and knows he's special, but he is still a human being, and this shows. It is a difficult role and an amazing transformation. One that doesn't need vanity psychodrama or tricky egotistical trips. Life is complex, hard, and way more interesting than anything than can be written as fiction.