Where Mike Leigh's Mr. Turner is a series of vignettes from the painter’s life, The Imitation Game is a far more traditional biopic. Norwegian film director Morten Tyldum follows a tried and tested formula with his story arc, moving from points A to B to C, intercutting with flashbacks to reveal a specific plot theme. Yet such an approach is the perfect means to tell the story of British cryptanalyst Alan Turing, who helped break the Enigma code during the Second World War. It provides a stable foundation for the strong lead performances that drives the movie and compensate for the narratives conceits.