Gripping and moving with brilliant acting

Rating: 9/10 (18 November 2014)

It does not surprise me that this film has been so well received by audiences. With the intertwining story lines of how the British mathematicians are going to break Germany's Enigma code and the challenges Turing faces as a gay man in the 1940s, it strikes a good balance as a gripping thriller that's not an action film and a moving drama that's not a depressing tragedy. The characters were very well thought through, each with unique qualities giving you an idea of what they are like without needing to give much information. No doubt this was helped by the excellent acting from the entire cast. Although Benedict Cumberbatch does a very good job in delivering the complex personality of Alan Turing, for me the more noteworthy performance was Keira Knightley's in what is probably her best one yet. In other films, her performances lack depth at times and it can feel like you're watching the same person again but with this one it is not the case. You actually forget that it is her playing this intelligent and captivating character. The brilliant performances of Alex Lawther as the young Turing and Mark Strong are also worth mentioning considering their smaller yet significant parts.
The film is let down a little by the flow of the story and rapid movements from scene to scene. This may have been a conscious choice to give a mechanic feel to a film about a mathematical mind but it does make the story a bit hard to follow at times. This is not of much significance though as the film delivers in all other areas, not the least of which is the ending. It is hard to get endings right and is often the point at which films disappoint. That's not the case with this one, it's spot on. Don't miss this film.