The Imitation Game
Down & Dirty: The best film of 2014
Director: Morten Tyldum
Big Names: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley
Occasionally a film will come around that does a little bit
of everything perfectly. Solid amount of drama. Tiny dose of comedy. Good bit
of intrigue. Snippets of romance. These elements are interwoven seamlessly to
create a flush montage – a well told story. Of course none of this is possible
without a good premise. And where do the best premises come from? True stories.
Drama rooted in reality.
The Imitation Game does what Unbroken could not do. It takes
a true story and makes it so powerful, so urgent and personal that it commands
your full emotional attention. Angelina Jolie’s film focused on human triumph
in the face of unfathomable adversity. But in that movie the viewer only knows
Louie in the context of several mostly horrific situations. It doesn’t feel real until you walk out of the theater and remind
yourself, “Wow that legitimately did happen.” The Imitation Game suffers no
such delayed empathy. This is the tale of Alan Turing, an Einstein-like genius
who accelerated World War II about five years in the Allies favor. How? He
cracked the unbreakable Nazi communication code known as Enigma using the
earliest computer engineering. To tell you the machinations through which he
did it and the opposition he faced throughout the process would be to rob you
of a most fulfilling cinematic experience. But I will give a shameless sales
pitch on why it is worth watching.
The penmanship of the script can and should be appreciated
by all. A World War II political thriller revolving around the life of a mathematician
is such a mundane premise to history-handicapped millenials, but the dialogue
is sharp enough to stay relevant. Cumberbatch’s Sherlock-like demeanor
captivates the viewer right off the bat. Don’t know about WWII? Don’t sweat it.
The film does a phenomenal job of informing the viewer without condescending,
unlike the character of Alan Turing.
Turing can truly be a prick. His abrasive nature is
seemingly the social deficiency manifested in his genius. I’ve never seen an
actor so completely embrace this stigma of genius. Cumberbatch is believable in
every moment of bewilderment at his own unpleasantness. The ticks, the arrogant
looks, and the obsessive behavior - it’s all beautifully portrayed in
Cumberbatch’s committed performance. The Oscar nomination for Best Actor is fully
deserved. As is the film’s overall nomination for Best Picture.
(SPOILER AHEAD)
I will spoil one bit for you because it deserves talking
about: Alan Turing was gay. You might be asking yourself why you haven’t heard
of Alan Turing before. The answer is shocking, unfortunate, and
straight-forward.
England buried him. Both figuratively and literally.
His country failed to recognize him for his accomplishments
(War-time and otherwise) until one year ago due to the fact that they
persecuted him for his sexuality back in the 1950’s. He was forced to undergo
hormonal treatment which eventually drove him to suicide. Take that in. It took
until one year ago to recognize this man’s accomplishments because he was
attracted to the same sex. Just remember that we as a society have the capacity
for extraordinarily inhumane treatment and we often still refuse to own up to
those mistakes in retrospect. Forgiveness is consigned to oblivion.
During the Oscar campaign, the film’s promoters really
pushed the angle of The Imitation Game being a platform for the rights of
homosexuals and the historical persecution homosexuals have faced. Rightfully
so – but it would be a shame to pigeon hole this film as a socio-political
rallying point.
It’s so much more
than that. The entire filmmaking process blends together to create an
unforgettable cinematic experience. Movies like The Imitation Game only come
around once in a while. Don’t miss it.
