The story of Alan Turing is truly spectacular

Rating: 6/10 (29 December 2014)

The story of Alan Turing is such a spectacular one, that even an unspectacular film like the Imitation Game is nothing short of compelling. The period detail is convincing and tech aspects of the film are top notch - all very well done by director Morten Tyldum, making his first English language film. There are some dramatic liberties of course, most of which work fine on screen - a major exception being a scene involving a member of Turing's team dramatically pleading for his brother's life on-board a naval vessel. Cumberbatch does a decent enough job as Turing and while he is committed to the role, when the man is stressed - Cumberbatch does some phony tics and speech mannerisms that come across as acting with a capital A. Knightley and Goode make the most of their roles and Dance does what he can with his one note and mostly antagonist role. The film can detour into drivel occasionally, especially when Turing's colleagues threaten to quit over his dismissal - but more often than not, The Imitation Game is serviceable entertainment and does enough justice to a great story and a great man.