By Andrew Grant
Ordinarily the life of a mathematician isn’t ideal fodder for a major Hollywood movie. But when that mathematician is Alan Turing — the British genius who inspired the modern computer, protected Allied soldiers from Nazi attacks with his code-breaking prowess and was a closeted gay man — you’ve got yourself a film with Oscar buzz. (Casting Benedict Cumberbatch as the lead doesn’t hurt either.)
Overall, the movie works: It’s fun, it’s gripping and it features a brilliant performance from Cumberbatch. But like so many other Hollywood biopics, it takes some major artistic license — which is disappointing, because Turing’s actual story is so compelling.