Wednesday, March 09, 2016

The Imitation Game

The Imitation Game was heartbreaking. I don't know why I waited so long to watch it. It was a brilliant film. I think it was worth every bit of acclaim that it has received. I loved Benedict Cumberbatch. I think I get why everyone loves him now. I haven't watched Sherlock, but I'm interested to see more of him. Everything about the way he portrayed Alan Turing, brought the character and time to life for me, was fantastic. I loved his relationship with Keira Knightly's character, Joan. I loved Joan, her struggles to be thought of as an equal, the sadness because her mind wasn't getting used.

They worked so hard, Alan Turing, Joan and the whole team, to break Enigma and end the war (World War II). They succeeded in their goal, even though there were doubters, people who didn't believe a machine could break the code. Their relationships, the ups and downs, the Russian spy, I wonder how much of that is true and how much is artistic liberty. It also makes me think such a brilliant mind lost, because of "hormonal therapy" to change his "predilections". You might as well try to "pray the gay away." I know it was a long time ago, but it makes me angry. I also feel like someone, a friend, the guy from MI6, should have helped him. What more could have come from the mind that invented computers if he had lived? (I know that the potrayal of Turing isn't the only theory regarding his death, but it is commonly held.) I'm going to stop being angry and instead be impressed that a film could make me feel so strongly. If you haven't seen The Imitation Game, you should, it deserves to be seen.

2 comments:

  1. Agreed. Very good film. What got me most though was after they broke Enigma they couldn't use the information because it would very quickly become obvious that they had... So they needed to work out a way to give the Allies enough of an advantage to win the war without letting on. Very clever! Oh, and I know it goes without saying but Cumberbatch was superb. Damn that man can act!

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    1. I know. Smart thinking, but must have been so hard emotionally, to make that decision.

      Also, I might start watching Sherlock. And I'm looking forward to Dr. Strange even more now.

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