The Imitation Game

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Film: The Imitation Game
Year: 2014
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode
Direction: Morten Tydlum

I vaguely remember hubby mentioning breaking of Enigma code that costs the Germans the World War II in one of our conversations. It was referred to him by a friend. And Benedict Cumberbatch is good enough to lure me into watching this flick. The film is roughly based on the biography, Alan Turing-The Enigma by Andrew Hodges.

During World War II, the Nazis had a crypted code that they used for the communication, which was reset every 24 hours. Decoding this was next to impossible. Then enters Alan Turing, a British, brilliant cryptoanalyst, mathematician,  computer scientist, and logician. He convinces commander Alastair Denniston to let him lead a team of handpicked mathematicians whose goal was to crack the code and win the war at any cost with lot of obstacles and complications, which they achieve eventually. Another part is in 1950s, Turing is convicted of gross indecency (homosexuality was illegal back then). Rather than go to prison for his conviction, he agrees to go through chemical castration, so that he can continue his work. This finally leads him to commit suicide at not so ripe age of 41.

Cumberbatch is brilliant as Turing. He is arrogant, distant, socially awkward, clueless. His accent, mannerism, movements are so perfect. Though I don't think he is the most handsome British, I consider him to be a great actor. In fact, I find Matthew Goode (Hugh Alexander) very attractive and intense. I last saw him and Allen Leech (John Cairncross) in Downton Abbey and it is good to have them here as mathematicians of Enigma. Keira Knightley as Joan Clarke is spunky and energetic. When Turing and Joan are together engaged, I almost wanted them to be a couple despite his orientation because they looked that cute. The initial dislike turned bond between the Enigma team is so endearing. 

This film talks a little about gender bias and prejudice against homosexuality. Even though its about mathematics, codes, it's not dull. As a matter of fact it keeps the audience fully engaged from start to finish. And it made me sad too considering Turing's huge contribution in saving many lives by turning the course of the war and what the same country did to him in the end. He is considered the father of computer science and artificial intelligence. It brought me the story of Alan Turing whom I knew nothing about until now. Later I got to know in 2009 British PM Gordon Brown made a public apology on behalf of British Government for the awful way Turing was treated following an internet campaign. And in 2013 Queen Elizabeth II granted him posthumous pardon. In 2007 more than 50,000 gay men posthumously pardoned under "Alan Turing law". In the end he was honored as a hero which was due for half a century or more.

Watch it if you like good inspirational stories.