Walking into the test screening of The Imitation Game that I attended last night, I was very nervous as to what I’d be watching. Having recently been treated to a different test screening of what is now one of my least favorite favorite films of the year, I feared I’d be treated to yet another insipid, unoriginal historical drama with equally phoned-in performances. Luckily, while formulaic, The Imitation Game still proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable and well-acted biopic.

The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch (in what is clearly the baitiest role of his career thus far) as Alan Turing, a closeted cryptologist living in England during World War II. He is recruited by British official Stewart Menzies (played by Mark Strong) to join a team of mathematicians who are working on decoding the Enigma machine, which was used by the Axis to transmit encrypted messages during the war. His team members include the charismatic and womanizing Hugh Alexander (played by Matthew Goode), and eventually, the gorgeous and intelligent Joan Clark (played by Keira Knightley). The first two thirds of the film mostly focus on the group’s efforts to crack the Enigma machine, with the last third shifting into solely a character study of the troubled genius.

This shift (and the resulting added running time) is easily The Imitation Game’s biggest problem. The film’s pace during its first long stretch is surprisingly pleasant and swift, thanks to assured direction from Morten Tyldum and engaging, at times very witty dialogue. However, the scenes about Turing’s personal life, particularly the childhood flashback scenes interspersed throughout as well as the entire final act, feel tacked on and out of a different film. Had the screenplay been appropriately trimmed, it would have made for a much more fully satisfying and worthwhile viewing experience.

Nonetheless, there is one element that elevates The Imitation Game past mediocrity, and his name is Benedict Cumberbatch. He brings his A-game to a complex character that is extremely difficult to play, and he admirably succeeds. Cumberbatch captures Turing’s acerbic wit, completely lack of tact and social skills, and (as we eventually learn), his troubled past that contributed to his constant state of misery. He is the heart and soul of The Imitation Game, and he bravely carries the whole film on his shoulders from start to finish. It is not the best performance I have seen so far in 2014, but without a doubt, it is the most Oscarable. I have not made any predictions yet, but when I do, Cumberbatch will definitely be appearing in them.

I will also note that when I say Cumberbatch carries the film, I do mean him alone. Matthew Goode has a few shining moments in his screentime, and exhibits great comedic timing, but his character is too much of a trope to be elevated past the material. Keira Knightley reads her lines competently enough, but her character is basically a sounding board for the protagonist, with one or two “I’m an independent woman!” scenes added in for good measure. There are no noticeably false notes in her performance, but it would still be an absolutely waste and joke of a nomination (see Weaver: 2012), and I definitely would not predict her.

Overall, while I believe The Imitation Game has a good chance of doing well with critics, I also think it will get a relatively mixed reception on this board. There will definitely be some who dismiss it as uninspired, hokey biopic fare (and will then probably vomit after watching the infinitely duller Big Eyes), while others will likely be defending Cumberbatch’s performance to the death. As for me, I’ll be lying somewhere in the middle, popcorn in hand, ready for the flamewars to erupt

(Source: imdb.com)