Contributor: Andy Spencer
Writers: Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan
Director: Tomas Alfredson
The Cold War was probably one of the most tense, complex times in human history. Two superpowers and a dozen smaller ones poised perpetually on the brink of nuclear war, each trying to scare the other into giving in to Communism, democracy, and many other things. It was a time of fear and paranoia, a time when wearing a red scarf here in the States could get you twenty-five to life.
This is the mood that Tomas Alfredson’s “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” tries to convey at every opportunity. The entire film is a tense affair filled with hard stares, double crossing, encoded messages and one of the most convoluted plots I have ever seen. Each actor plays their part perfectly, each one seeming to have been worn down by the constant vigilance their job requires. They all seem to have short tempers, and each seems to be all but actively hostile towards everyone else. They all seem to have their own agendas (who didn’t back then?), and once the idea that one of them is a mole is introduced, each one is a candidate.
The story mainly follows George Smiley, played by Gary Oldman, and his investigation into this matter. Between many meetings in a smoky boardroom with the upper echelons of British intelligence, he contacts his trusted members of the organization to try to gather information about the movements of those suspected. His questionings involve flashbacks galore, some of which seemed to not matter to the overall plot in the least. Or maybe they did, and I just didn’t realize it. I really cannot say for certain, which may point to a fundamental flaw in this adaptation.
This is a film that really could have used a longer running time. There seemed to be something happening nearly every second, which isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but it gives you no time to process the last bit of story before you’re being force-fed the next one. As with many stories, I am sure all the details are presented in some way that makes complete sense. Actually, that’s probably exactly the case. But having read the book beforehand (which I clearly did not) is probably a major aid in the endeavor to understand this story.
Everything else about the film is actually very well done. The acting is terrific; each actor is recognizable, and each manages to make their character feel distinct. The atmosphere is palpable, with smoke everywhere and characters filling the screen with their brooding, suspicious faces. The cinematography is suitably bleak, with every moment seeming like the sun is hidden behind a thick curtain of clouds. Alfredson’s direction makes for some great shots that add to the tension, reminding us of his supernatural masterpiece “Let the Right One In”. However, the story is the primary focus of this picture, without doubt. And when the story is this tangled, all the film-making skill in the world cannot completely make up for it.
Score: 7/10
