The Imitation Game tells the true story of a tortured genius [Review]
Norwegian director Morten Tyldum's gripping debut English movie, The Imitation Game, documents the life of unsung hero Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch). A mathematician known as the father of the computer, he also helped the Allies win the second world war by breaking the secret Nazi "Enigma" code.
Tyldum's skilful storytelling keeps audiences on the edge of their seats, even though we know Turing will succeed and how his life will end.
The film spans three time periods, showing Turing as a boy, during the war, and later, when all records of his contributions were deleted because of the mission's top-secret nature.
Cumberbatch is at his best here, portraying Turing as a direct and supremely confident man with a traumatic past. He might be able to decode Enigma, but he has trouble understanding the basic codes of social interaction.
Cumberbatch's rawness tears at the heart, as does the portrayal of society's mistreatment of him.
Keira Knightley also shows she's back in the game as Joan Clarke, bringing a much-needed positive energy to the film.