Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Review

• 7th Sep 2011

John le Carre’s 70’s set spy novel makes it to the big screen, and it’s a wonder why it hasn’t before. And thanks to Let the Right One In director Tomas Alfredson, it’s quite the visual and pot-boiling treat.

So it seems there is a mole within the Circus (yes our home grown spy network). Despite the fact that a couple of the head honchos have been laid off, the powers that be see fit to invite one of them, George Smiley (Gary Oldman) back to work this case and find the mole. From here we are treated to an interweaving tale of spies, lies and an assortment of double dealings.

With a cast this impressive (Colin Firth, Tom hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Toby jones, Mark Strong, John  Hurt, Stephen Graham and many more) and delivering the goods, you can’t help but get wrapped up in what is happening. We do leap around a bit between characters leaving some of the drama coming off as cold as a report, but then this is part of the films charm. The time we do get to spend with these characters is often spellbinding. Most of the characters get proper screen time in which to shine. Cumberbatch and Hardy as almost the young ‘uns of the bunch get most of the physical spy work to do in the film. Hardy gets to pull most of the emotional punches, while Cumberbatch (Looking a little like peter Franks from Diamonds Are Forever) gets to act 70’s cool with his swagger in a suit, and yet gets a wonderful moment on his own after he has had to “clean up” potential dangers to himself at Smiley’s recommendation. Mark Strong though it is worth noting gets a quieter role that delivers more of an emotional impact than we are used to from his more recent roles and gets to partake in one of the film’s most tense opening scenes.

The plot has been wisely condensed. The reveals as they happen are built with slow tension, and often then cut right to the chase, forgoing the temptation to break into action mode. It’s highly commendable that the film is kept so restraint when it could easily go off the rails and have voices raised at each other. It’s very cleverly edited, and beautifully directed by Alfredson with particular attention to period detail and keeping a cold feel in such an emotionally dislocated time. So long as you are paying attention it is easy enough to follow when you step back from the events that occur, it is only made more complicated by the mobility of the script.

Now as impressive as the cast is, this is still clearly Gary Oldman’s film. It’s got to be an almost dead cert that he’s on for some award recognition in what is clearly going to be one of his stand out roles (and this a man who already has so many great performances under his belt).

Anyone else sick of the fast editing, paper thin characterisation, yet high emotional involvement of recent Hollywood thriller will find this the treat they have been seeking for many a year. TTSS is a mature work that is bound to replay well further viewing.

Steven Hurst