The Imitation Game (2014)

From NetFlix:

Chronicling mathematical wizard Alan Turing’s key role in Britain’s successful effort to crack Germany’s Enigma code during World War II, this historical biopic also recounts how his groundbreaking work helped launch the computer age.

War is complicated business involving heroism, boring minutiae, and a great deal of good or bad luck. Imagine the daily grind of trying to break Germany’s Enigma code, made even more difficult by the clash of egos and arrogant military personnel. Add to that Alan Turing’s Asberger-Syndrome-like personality.

Only a gifted actor like Benedict Cumberbatch could undertake the role of Alan Turing so successfully. Of course, he often plays bizarre characters such as his TV role as Sherlock Holmes.

Keira Knightley is the perfect accompaniment to Turing’s idiosyncrasies. But be sure to read the Wikipedia article that clarifies Turing’s relation to the code breaker Joan Clarke.

As a faithful viewer of “Downton Abbey” I was happy to see Allen Leech in the role of John Cairncross. His place in the plot shows the precarious position of homosexuals in the British society of those times. Blackmail was a serious possibility.

Without further ado, I can only say DO NOT MISS!

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