The Imitation Game (2014)

7.9/10

Alan Turing: Are you paying attention? Good. If you are not listening carefully, you will miss things. Important things. I will not pause, I will not repeat myself, and you will not interrupt me. You think that because you're sitting where you are, and I am sitting where I am, that you are in control of what is about to happen. You're mistaken. I am in control, because I know things that you do not know.

[pause]

Alan Turing: What I will need from you now is a commitment. You will listen closely, and you will not judge me until I am finished. If you cannot commit to this, then please leave the room. But if you choose to stay, remember you chose to be here. What happens from this moment forward is not my responsibility. It's yours. Pay attention.

Here lies the Enigma: What do you get when you add a British incredible actor plus an equally British talanted cast to portray the team that broke Enigma during the Second World War, alongside with an underlying backstory of the prosecution of homosexuals during the 1950s England? A profound intriguing film that shows you the trials of a homosexual who was denied to be acknowledge for his brilliance in aiding WWII, but was otherwise prosecuted for what his sexual orientation was. 

'The Imitation Game' is the based on the true story of legendary cryptanalyst Alan Turing, the film portrays the nail-biting race against time by Turing and his brilliant team of code-breakers at Britain's top-secret Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park, during the darkest days of World War II. (www.imdb.com)

This film goes out in the heart of the story; the streneous path that Professor Turing faced, after the end of WWII. It all boils down to Benedict Cumberbatch's performance and how provocatively ludicrous his ideas were the fundamental reason for breaking the impossible Enigma. Cumberbatch, who in recent years has proven to be somewhat of a glorified genius in his portrayal as the equally brilliant but insane Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series, he's once again cast to portray the insane genius of Turning; the profound amazement in his performance derives from his eloquence to make you pay attention to his thought process. The portrayal takes on a different dynamics as it not only focusses on his mathematical genius to break the code, but the hidden truth that Turing was a homosexual. Cumberbatch gave the role a horrowing meaning of what it felt like to be ashamed of what he is, to be living in the shadows, long after he would be considered the catalyst for ending the worst war that his humanity has ever seen. 

Grasping all the messages on how horrendous it was for someone who was a homosexual to live at those times, this film lacks empathy I believe. Albeit the remarakbly sad story of Turing, the script lacks the emotional stamina to make you break down in overwhelming tears of what occurred to Turning long after the war. What's lacking though in empathy due to pacing issues, makes up for in brilliant performances that enagage the viewer of the injustice and shameful acts that were exercised upon the real Alan Turing. 

The film engrosses the viewer only by the sadness of the true story, but it's technical and more practical logistical executions are within a mediocre standard of that of an independent film that's trying to find it's niche. 

Regardless, it is without a doubt that 'The Imitation Game' holds its reigns high up due to the evocative performances. Hence it's also nominations for a Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. A notable mention to the ever struggling growth as a serious actress of Keira Knightley, who after years of costume drama portrayals seems to have hit the target in her portrayal of Turing's trusted friend/colleague and brief fiance in the film. 

This is an incredible story, a story that has been hidden in the shadows waiting to be told. It was only a matter of finding its narrative storyteller that would enfold the essence of Alan Turing's life events and what it means for humanity. The transcedance of acceptance and human justice resonate throughout the film's duration. Be sure to acknowledge Turing's brilliant work when you watch it, but be even more prepared to aknowledge the man behind the code. 

'The Imitation Game'

(2014)

A Dangerous Method (2011)

Rating: 5.4/10

"Sometimes you have to do something unforgivable... just to be able to go on living."

It isn't often that I want to slander a period piece. Since they kind of are my cinematic vice, I find it hard to bad-mouth or give a negative review to a period drama piece. This time round though, the case was somewhat different.

'A Dangerous Method' "tells about the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis."

All's well and good with the story-line, only we seem to see more of Carl Jung's character than sir Sigmund and the relationship between the two forefathers of psychoanalysis. We do however, see a lot of Carl Jung's ex-patient and mistress and how that relationship affected Jung into the depths of psychoanalysis.

I am a great fan of Michael Fassbender and Viggo Mortensen but this period drama was lacking chemistry between the protagonists as well as a stamina to follow up with the characters' story-line. In my opinion I believe the scripted lacked this emotional ground that could be built between these two men, thus leaving me emotional detached from their drama and their emotional journey. Since both the actors above have well proved in the past to be one of the best-in-depth actors in currently in the business, I expected a lot more from their performance, but instead got very little and a lot of jumble trying to follow where they were coming from.

Keira Knightley....Oh the never-ending battle of this actress's pouting. Indeed I do hold a bit of prejudice against this actress, since I have been watching her progress since she was 16 years old, and have yet to be impressed by her. With this film, she really did try to do the best she could, I could tell she struggled with her role, but in the end she did not again manage to exceed her yet-so-far acting abilities. She can do a lot better I think. She still needs more work in her craft, because a pretty corset and a bit of provocative nudity won't do. Keep on acting Keira.

All in all, story was a bit dull and mundane for my taste. Found it a bit hard to follow the characters and what their ultimate goal was. Had a couple of good scenes with Fassbender and his on-screen wife, Sarah Gordon. The direction was mellow and uninteresting; followed a very steady pace but which at the end lost me as an audience as to what it was trying to tell me. A very peculiar phenomenon if you think that this film is by David Cronenberg, an acclaimed director in the business who failed in many ways to deliver with this film.

Worth the watch if there's nothing else in the cinema this award season, which I can assure you this is not possible as there's plenty of much worthier films out there currently showing.


A Dangerous Method (2011)