The Imitation Game (2014)

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Alan Turing	Benedict Cumberbatch	½
Joan Clarke	Keira Knightley	½
Hugh Alexander	Matthew Goode
Maj. Gen. Stewart Menzies	Mark Strong
Cdr. Alastair Denniston	Charles Dance
John Cairncross	Allen Leech
Peter Hilton	Matthew Beard
Detective Nock	Rory Kinnear
Young Turing	Alex Lawther
Christopher Morcom	Jack Bannon
Dorothy Clarke	Victoria Wicks

Review

Although The Imitation Game is a traditional biographical drama formulaically speaking, it has a couple of x-factors which elevates it above the run-of-the-mill level of some of the most recent British biopics (Diana, The Iron Lady). One of these is the enigma that is Alan Turing. Because although his life and antics are fairly well documented, there are certain parts of it (for reasons obvious to those who know the story) that are more open for interpretation – or dramatisation, seen from these filmmakers' perspective. Another is director Morten Tyldum's ability to saturate his picture with tension and drive. I cannot vouch for the accuracy of how the film portrays the proceedings at Bletchley Park (very few can, which means that on a detailed level, the film can allow itself quite a bit of creative freedom), but the interpersonal drama and power struggle surrounding Turing and his fellow cryptanalysts – albeit somewhat paradigmatic – gives the film a simmering, almost electric quality. And as the story goes from drama via war thriller to romance and ends in tragedy, it's almost impossible not to be immensely affected by the story of Alan Turing, even if Tyldum and his fellow filmmakers know a bit too well how to exploit it for maximum effect. Brilliant performances by Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley round off this well-made film.