The Imitation Game

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The Imitation Game

PG-13

2014

1h 53m

History

Drama

Biography

LGBTQ+

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Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

283 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

In 1939, newly created British intelligence agency MI6 recruits Cambridge mathematics alumnus Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to crack Nazi codes, including Enigma -- which cryptanalysts had thought unbreakable. Turing's team, including Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley), analyze Enigma messages while he builds a machine to decipher them. Turing and team finally succeed and become heroes, but in 1952, the quiet genius encounters disgrace when authorities reveal he is gay and send him to prison.

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Critics Consensus

With an outstanding starring performance from Benedict Cumberbatch illuminating its fact-based story, The Imitation Game serves as an eminently well-made entry in the "prestige biopic" genre.

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

Jun 7, 2016

Cumberbatch helps elevate what could've been a rote boilerplate biopic into a film with the spark of a live wire.

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Mara Reinstein

Us Weekly

Jan 19, 2015

3.5/4

A moving tribute to an extraordinary man.

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David Stratton

The Australian

Jan 5, 2015

4/5

What could have been a very dry and earnest film emerges, under the intelligent direction of Norwegian Morten Tyldum working from a screenplay by Graham Moore, as a gripping and still rather extraordinary story.

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Dec 24, 2024

4/5

The Imitation Game takes too many dramatic liberties in adapting for the screen but at the end of the day, the film does help right a wrong in recognizing the code-breakers--including Alan Turing--for their work during World War II.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Sep 4, 2023

5/5

Call out the "Oscar bait" planning and intentional polish all you want, but you won't be seeing a bad film whatsoever. You will be seeing a calculated crowd pleaser with perfect delivery, through and through.

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Sofía Ochoa Rodríguez

En Filme

Nov 23, 2022

4/5

The aftertaste is somewhat schizophrenic: the founder of one of the pillars of our time was both a hero and martyr. It's a riddle the film doesn't try to solve. [Full review in Spanish]

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Allie F

Feb 4, 2022

The story of Alan Turing and what others did at Bletchley Park is one that the world should know about. Of course, for cinematic purposes, the narrative heavily leans on a specific storyline that does take artistic license on the actual events that took place historically. The truth is that there were many heroes in the war, and there are still other untold stories of efforts just as valiant. That said, Cumberbatch and Knightly did a great job in conveying some of the complex feelings and emotions that arose from many difficult situations. Despite the departure from some historical details and facts, it's a well-made film. One I've watched multiple times since. It's heartbreaking what Turing had to undergo after what he helped do, and definitely a tear jerker for that reason. Great movie.

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Madam D

@Madam1948 Sep 21, 2026

Sad story about a brillant man who happened to be gay. He headed a group who were able to decode the German machine tracking where they were fighting next. That ended WWII 2 years early. However, he was arrested for being gay & after a year of taking chemical castration drugs he ended his own life. Brillant acting iin the cast.

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Yuta Y

@RT90152649 Sep 12, 2026

What a wonderful story of Alan Turing!! You had better watch this!!!

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Brahnavan B

@i_love_movie_theatres_more_than_u Sep 7, 2026

Great movie at exploring a misunderstood man played brilliantly by Benedict Cumberbatch and similar excellence from Keira Knightley.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 6, 2026

It's a shame what Alan Turing had to go through...

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Joe S

@RT05503065 Aug 4, 2026

Historical fiction at it's finest. Cumberbatch is outstanding.

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Morten Tyldum

Director

Benedict Cumberbatch

Alan Turing

Keira Knightley

Joan Clarke

Matthew Goode

Hugh Alexander

Rory Kinnear

Det. Robert Nock

Allen Leech

John Cairncross

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Synopsis

In 1939, newly created British intelligence agency MI6 recruits Cambridge mathematics alumnus Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to crack Nazi codes, including Enigma -- which cryptanalysts had thought unbreakable. Turing's team, including Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley), analyze Enigma messages while he builds a machine to decipher them. Turing and team finally succeed and become heroes, but in 1952, the quiet genius encounters disgrace when authorities reveal he is gay and send him to prison.

Director: Morten Tyldum
Producer: Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky, Teddy Schwarzman
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Black Bear Pictures, Bristol Automotive
Rating: PG-13 (Mature Thematic Material|Historical Smoking|Some Sexual References)
Genre: History, Drama, Biography, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2014, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $91.1M
Runtime: 1h 53m

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