In what appears to be in marked contrast to the rest of the
Western World, Benedict Cumberbatch has simply passed me by thus far. I have
never watched ‘Sherlock’, despite constant urging to do so by friends and
family; it is one of those programmes that I have spent too long thinking about
watching, and now probably never will. If I attempted Series 1 now, it would
result in my feeling late to the party; in attempting to gossip about it with more
happening folk, said folk will wink infuriatingly, and say things like, ‘Still
on Series 1, eh? Well, I won’t give it away. How’s your love life?’
I digress. The point is, the hysteria surrounding luxurious
sex otter Cumberbatch has up to this point been something to observe detachedly
and with some amusement, the mania surrounding the recent announcement of his
engagement providing the latest and greatest giggles. After watching ‘The
Imitation Game’, I am finally beginning to see what all the fuss is about. His portrayal
of World War II code breaker Alan Turing is just wonderful, the best
performance I have seen for a very long time.
The film opens in 1952, and a police investigation into a burglary
at Turing’s house. From here, we are treated to a thoroughly engrossing, emotionally
stirring account of Turing’s life, sliced up into non-chronological chunks
depicting his lonely childhood, astounding tenure at Bletchley Park during the
War, and tragic decline. Cumberbatch is astonishing, plonking an arrogant,
socially awkward prodigy on the screen for us all to dare to laugh at, then
slowly, masterfully, peeling away the bluff and bluster to reveal the human
behind this computer mastermind. The structure lends itself to Cumberbatch’s
approach perfectly, treating the subject matter and intended audience with
respect, allowing the spectator to gradually piece together the puzzle.
This is a meticulously designed and lushly captured piece of
filmmaking, stunning in its detail and a real pleasure to watch unfold. It is
explained to us that breaking the Enigma code was a painstaking and laborious
task spanning many years, and yet the pacing here is superbly judged. Much
emphasis is placed on the urgency of the task at hand, and as the alarm clock repeatedly
signals the end of another day without success and the cryptographers must
start all over again, the tension and frustration are palpable. This means that
when Turing does have his breakthrough moment and cracks the code, it is
genuine edge-of-your-seat cinema.
Surprisingly strong support is provided in the form of Keira
Knightly as Turing’s close friend and one-time fiancée, Joan Clarke. The
character is intelligently written and realistically fleshed out; Knightly
ditches her wide-eyed, daft ingénue shtick and is impressive enough for me not
to roll my eyes once. The scenes between Knightly and Cumberbatch are believable
and tender, and Knightly holds her own even against a Cumberbatch who
constantly threatens to chew up the scenery (squeal). Strong support is also
provided by Rory Kinnear as the policeman investigating the 1952 burglary, and
Matthew Goode as a caddish, egotistical member of Turing’s Bletchley Park team.
Sitting there in my local cinema, by the time the film
reached its conclusion and what became of Turing is revealed, I felt
unexpectedly moved, perhaps more so because ‘The Imitation Game’ managed to
stir emotion in me without resorting to showiness or mawkish sentiment. Just a
great story, great score, great acting. How very refreshing.
I might give ‘Sherlock’ a go, after all.
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