Subtleties Lost in the Confusion

Rating: 6/10 (29 January 2012)

I love this type of genre where the story, plot, and acting is valued greater than action. If you've read the book or seen the TV mini-series, you'll probably like this at about an 8 level. If you haven't been exposed to the story, it will be a confusing and boring experience.
Like the TV series, the emphasis is on limited dialog, plain locations and spaces, and acting space. Some would call it dry, but there is power in the silence as the characters share meaningful looks and furtive glances. If the TV series dialog was measured, the movie dialog was more rationed. I think there were a solid five minutes George Smiley (played by Oldman) said a word after his first screen exposure.
The general plot is not that hard to follow, but this is a story based in subtleties. Nuances are difficult to interpret if you don't know where the story is going. Suffice it to say, everything you see is important and sometimes you don't realize the importance until later. Following the high level agents takes attentiveness not usually needed in a wide-release film.
Still, I like the style and substance of the movie, even if it is difficult to catch all the meanings of each plot step. Several people nearby me mentioned that while they liked the movie, they were confused about certain events. One told her spouse they needed to pick a simpler movie to watch next time it hurt their brain.