Movie Review: The Imitation Game


The Imitation Game is based on a true story with which most audiences probably aren't familiar; I was not, and now am curious enough to try and look up more of the story. The film takes place during World War I, and has an all-star cast - Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley have both scored SAG and Golden Globe nominations for their acting, and the movie itself is up for Best Picture - Drama for both awards as well.

Alan Turing (Cumberbatch) is a geek and a loner, but also very intelligent. He is one of a select few chosen to help England try to break Germany's codes during World War I - breaking the codes would mean being able to decipher all of Germany's messages, giving England a distinct advantage in the war. He eventually is made head of the team and must recruit a few other members, including the team's first woman, Joan (Knightley), with whom he works very well. The rest of the team finds his seriousness and focus a bit off-putting, although they will admit that his methods look like they will be producing results.

Cumberbatch and Knightley definitely deserve their SAG and GG nominations for this movie, Cumberbatch especially. I actually liked Knightley a little more in Begin Again, also out this year, though she does well here too. You'll most likely also recognize Matthew Goode (Chasing Liberty, Stoker, Match Point) and Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes) from the supporting cast, as well. Overall, I enjoyed the movie, although the last 30-45 minutes or so seemed a bit slower-paced to me than the rest of it.

Yes, see this film. You're undoubtedly curious about it anyways, since it nabbed three award nominations for each honor (SAG/GG), and if you like movies based on true stories and/or set in a historical time period, you'll like The Imitation Game. It also reminded me a lot of A Beautiful Mind, minus the schizophrenia, although Cumberbatch's character has another secret which we find out about in snippets throughout the film. The movie should do very well because of both its cast and the awards it's already been nominated for, and it's a good choice to see in theaters this holiday season.

The Imitation Game is currently playing in theaters, and is rated PG-13 with a runtime of 114 minutes. 4 stars out of 5.

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