The Imitation Game (2014)

[K1stpierre]

Discuss

[CoolioD1]

Pretty good. Liked the code breaking stuff, which is super well handled, sometimes intense, sometimes just fascinating, more than the scenes about his personal life, many of which were hamfisted, in the end I think it rushes through the tragedy of Turing's life so it can end kinda happy. Cumberbatch is ok though I guess I'll use the word "hamfisted" again. He goes way over the top with the socially awkward routine. I'd read Turing's not like that. At least no where near that bad. Though I suppose it's the script's fault as much as anything. Preferred strong supporting work from Matthew Goode and Keira Knightley

[Dan9]

It's not groundbreaking but it's still very well executed and performed. The guy who plays younger Alan Turing was awesome.

[baumer]

Might crack my top 15.

8.5/10

[Ezen Baklattan]

I was hoping they would go into more depth with Turing's homosexuality, but the story we got was still excellent. The coding stuff is really interesting to watch and directed in a way that keeps the audience engaged and exhilarated. Cumberbatch is great, as are Goode, Strong, and Knightley, but I think the script ultimately carried the film. It's way better than The Theory of Everything.

[The Panda]

The film is riddled with some very strong performances and it keeps your attention the entire way through, although the emotional bits do seem rather robotic in a way (not how they are delivered) but that you don't necessarily get a large emotional reaction out of them.  It's very interesting to watch, but it's definitely one of those movie's that once you see it you never really need to see it again.  It did a great job at exploring its themes delicately without beating you over the head with them however still making them quite glaringly obvious.  Tywin Lannister plays Tywin Lannister in this movie (I just felt like pointing that out).  It's really overall very well crafted but not necessarily overly resonant.  B+

[CloneWars]

My only complaint was that they really did not explain the Turing Test all that well. Otherwise an excellent movie. A

[Plain Old Tele]

I was pretty disappointed. It's basically a very conventional Lifetime movie with a excellent Cumberbatch performance. An excellent first half becomes mired in tedious mawkishness by the end.

 

B-/C+

Edited December 30, 2014 by Telemachos

[AniNate]

I found the code-breaking narrative engaging and entertaining, but the movie does not mesh Turing's personal struggles in with much grace. The film's pacing feels really awkward with all the cuts between his college days and the war and post-war periods, and while it may seem "regressive" to cut out themes about confronting homosexuality, the film really would've benefited from a smaller scope.

Edited December 30, 2014 by tribefan695

[acsc1312]

Wow, I kind of really loved this. Cumberbatch is great, and I really enjoyed the script and score.

A-/A

[baumer]

The young actor who plays a young Turing is incredible in this.

[Water Bottle]

A pretty solid biopic with an excellent performance by Benedict Cumberbatch. Let's face it: Benedict made this movie.

 

B

[pepsa]

A pretty solid biopic with an excellent performance by Benedict Cumberbatch. Let's face it: Benedict made this movie.

 

B

 

Like he always does

[darkelf]

There are some annoying cliches and the editing felt off at times but it's a pretty great movie with a really great Cumberbatch and a strong script that kept me interested the whole time. Plus, it delivered one of the year's best laughs with Cucumber telling that awkward/awesome joke

 

8/10

[Rufus Magillicutty]

I was pretty disappointed. It's basically a very conventional Lifetime movie with a excellent Cumberbatch performance. An excellent first half becomes mired in tedious mawkishness by the end.

 

B-/C+

I agree that it was a fairly by the numbers bio-pic. There was nothing special about the overall story structure or any big reveals. They relegated the most intense and powerful aspect of the story to the last few minutes which was a shame. I'd grade it at a B- but would say the emotional connections and relationships between Turing, Clarke and his colleagues was strong enough (all credit to the superb acting of Cumberbumb:-P, Knightley & Goode) that it rates above a C+. Splitting hairs maybe there it is. 

 

 

I would also say that the movie put the focus on the revelation of cracking Enigma code and Turing's machine. It was very much about how Turing is the "father" of modern day computer. That's fine - but to then truncate his personal tragedy to almost a footnote at the end of the movie was a loss of a great opportunity. I feel the tragedy of how we lost such great mind to the same kind persecution and intolerance we were fighting was the real story and a much more poignant subject in todays social climate.

 

Besides, not every movie can be MAD MAX. 

[Plain Old Tele]

I would also say that the movie put the focus on the revelation of cracking Enigma code and Turing's machine. It was very much about how Turing is the "father" of modern day computer. That's fine - but to then truncate his personal tragedy to almost a footnote at the end of the movie was a loss of a great opportunity. I feel the tragedy of how we lost such great mind to the same kind persecution and intolerance we were fighting was the real story and a much more poignant subject in todays social climate.

 

Besides, not every movie can be MAD MAX. 

 

Yes, they did some wild simplifications but cracking the code and focusing just on that aspect of his life was where the movie (mostly) worked. It just felt like a giant cheat to suddenly try and make it this epic tragedy of how the government betrayed him because of his sexuality. I felt very let down by the last 30 minutes or so.

[Noctis]

I find it really upsetting how everyone's criticizing the film for not delving deep enough with Turing's homosexuality.

[Plain Old Tele]

I find it really upsetting how everyone's criticizing the film for not delving deep enough with Turing's homosexuality.

 

Why? Upsetting that we're saying this or that the film didn't focus much on it?

[Empire]

This movie was good, but nothing special. The code breaking stuff was good. However, I disappointed with that there was not much of focus on his homosexuality. It being a bigger part of the film would have made the ending more effective and hit more emotionally.

Still the performances were good as was the direction.

I would give it a....

B+(88)

Edited January 8, 2015 by Empire

[acsc1312]

I don't think there needed to be more about his homosexuality. The point of the film is to educate about his role in technology/ the war, not a straight up biopic. I think they did just enough to convey his homosexuality and his ultimate love for his machine, Christopher.