Not quite what you might expect

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2014)

The film succeeds beyond expectation, not so much in avoiding, as in overcoming, the pitfalls of two genres it most obviously falls into. The reason is that it ultimately situates itself in a third, less hackneyed genre.
The obvious genres are biopic and British "heritage" drama. Turing's homosexuality and career arc protect against the biopic's endemic pitfalls of sentimental sexuality (hero saved/inspired by the love of a good woman) and ultimate apotheosis of the hero, while discreet writing minimizes the cringe-inducing historical data dumps that mar otherwise good films such as "The King's Speech" and "Belle". The genre to which the film ultimately finds its way is that of the Sympathetic Monster drama ("Hunchback of Notre Dame", "Elephant Man").
Credit is due to the writing and direction, but above all to Cumberbatch's heartfelt and intelligent performance, which brings Charles Laughton and John Hurt to mind. The supporting actors are uniformly excellent (Charles Dance's villain is a treat as usual). But it is Cumberbatch's rendering of the hero that will make the film a classic.