The Man Who Saved Britain

Rating: 8/10 (3 April 2020)

The story of the breaking of the German Engima code during the Second World War is one of those incredible real-life stories filmmakers seem drawn to, like moths to a flame. That seems due, in part, to some of the remarkable figures involved with the effort. One of them was Alan Turing, a young Cambridge mathematician whose work not only helped crack the code but give birth to the modern computer age. Helping tell Turing's story to a broader audience is 2014's The Imitation Game, with Benedict Cumberbatch as the man himself.
Let's be honest: If you were going to cast someone to play Turing, you could a lot worse than go with Cumberbatch. The man who had brought to life a modern-day Sherlock Holmes and, before that, Stephen Hawking in a BBC TV movie, clearly had a pedigree for bringing to life those blessed with genius and eccentricity. Even so, his performance as Turing stands as something of a triumph. All the facets of this incredible, if at times distant, man is there on display with Cumberbatch finding ways to play them with both subtlety and, at times, explosiveness. The shift from vain to vulnerable can happen in the blink of an eye, the raising of an eyebrow, and Cumberbatch presents all of that wonderfully. It's a remarkable performance, and it is no surprise there was an Oscar nomination in store for his work.
Elsewhere, Cumberbatch is given ample support by the supporting cast. Keira Knightley's Joan Clarke is a prime example of this, a little known figure in her own right, whom Knightley brings to life with a performance that hits all the right notes. Turing's fellow codebreakers are likewise well-cast, from Matthew Goode as Hugh Alexander to Allen Leech as John Cairncross. One good bit of casting is Alex Lawther as the young Turing, offering the viewer an elegant depiction of the up and coming mathematician. Elsewhere, the film features a procession of the UK's leading character actors from the likes of Charles Dance as Commander Denniston to Mark Strong as MI6 chief Stewart Menzies and the ever-reliable Rory Kinnear as the policeman looking into Turing in the 1950s. It's a choice cast and one that brings out the best in their roles and, ultimately, Cumberbatch as Turing.
The Imitation Game is also a handsomely made film. From the cinematography of Oscar Faura to the sets of Maria Djurkovic and the costuming of Sammy Sheldon Differ recreating Britain of the forties and fifties, it's a gorgeous film to look at, rich in detail. It also sounds impressive, thanks to the score from Alexandre Desplat which is every bit as idiosyncratic and remarkable as the performance of the film's lead, capturing the intricacies of the moods and racing mind of Turing, as if musical quicksilver. Brought together under the direction of Morten Tyldum, it's an impressive combination that elevates the film that much more.
And then there's the script from Graham Moore, an Oscar-winning one at that. Working from Andrew Hodges' biography of Turing, Moore crafted an immensely compelling piece of work, one that highlights so many aspects of Turing's life and works. Yet, Moore frames his story around what, ultimately, became Turing's downfall, meaning he would never be known for his work during his lifetime. It's a remarkable story, without a doubt, and Moore finds ways to turn an often complex narrative into something understandable for those who aren't either mathematicians or experts on the Second World War. It also means, at times to the detriment of both script and the film, that there's the invoking of cliches, not to mention stretching of historical facts to their breaking point. That isn't to take away from Moore's achievement or what the film does, but perhaps suggest why such a remarkable piece of work has the occasional air of being formulaic at times.
Even with sometimes playing to a formula and stretching historical truth, The Imitation Game does a fine job. From Cumberbatch's performance to the work of its cast and crew and even the finer moments of Moore's script, it succeeds beautifully in bringing to life again one of the remarkable minds of the 20th century. For that reason alone, it stands out as a piece of filmmaking worth seeing.