Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy finds George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a recently retired MI6 agent, doing his best to adjust to a life outside the secret service. However, when a disgraced agent reappears with information concerning a mole at the heart of the service, Smiley is drawn back into the murky field of espionage. Tasked with investigating which of his trusted former colleagues has chosen to betray him and their country, Smiley narrows his search to four suspects – all experienced, skilled and successful agents – but past histories, rivalries and friendships make it far from easy to pinpoint the man who is eating away at the heart of the British establishment.
An acting masterclass from the crème de la crème of British film (Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), Tom Hardy (Inception), Mark Strong (Kick Ass), Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) and inspired direction from Let the Right One In’s Tomas Alfredson make this gripping and tense adaptation of John le Carré’s classic spy novel essential viewing.
Starring: Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Kathy Burke, Benedict Cumberbatch
Directed by: Tomas Alfredson
Runtime: 128 minutes
Studio: Focus Features
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB
Review: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Tomas Alfredson’s adaptation of the novel by John le Carre is set in the 1970s with the world in the midst of the Cold War and rival sides watching each other carefully through intricate spy networks. The film begins with Control (John Hurt), head of British Intelligence, sending an agent Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) on a mission to Hungary that goes badly wrong. Prideaux’s cover is blown leaving him to be shot and captured by Soviet agents. Control is forced into retirement along with his right hand man George Smiley (Gary Oldman) following this incident. Though Control soon dies, Smiley is called back into the service to investigate a claim from a rogue MI6 agent that a mole is somewhere within British Intelligence and it is down to Smiley to flush them out.
Assisted by Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch), Smiley begins interviewing former members of British Intelligence that left the service around the same time he and Control did following the disaster in Hungary. It turns out Control has suspicions about a mole in the service and he narrowed down the list to a handful of suspects, all of them still in operation. Tarr (Tom Hardy), an MI6 agent believed to have defected, suddenly appears at Smiley’s home with further information after a mission in Istanbul to observe a Soviet agent. Tarr is the suspected rogue agent responsible for raising the alarm about the mole in British Intelligence but it seems not all of his communications have been picked up. The mole is apparently ahead of everyone so how will Smiley locate the guilty party?
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is one of those films where you need to stay alert and listen carefully. Some films often warrant a second viewing and I think it’s fair to say this is one of them. As thrillers go this is a tense and fascinating experience with Oldman putting in a fine performance in the lead. The likes of John Hurt, Colin Firth, Ciaran Hinds, Tom Hardy, Benefict Cumberbatch and Mark Strong all provide excellent support as well. You’ll be kept guessing to the very end about who the mole is and once uncovered will Smiley be able to bring them to justice?
Tinker Tailor Solider Spy is a well-acted and compelling Cold War spy thriller. While not always the easiest film to follow, this is still a fascinating journey from start to finish. Oldman received belated recognition from the Academy for his performance here and although it’s not his best it is still top draw. If you enjoy a mystery thriller then this one shouldn’t disappoint.
Verdict: 4/5
