Tinker Tailor Film Debate

Rating: 8/10 (25 January 2012)

** read more at filmdebate.wordpress.com **
THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE: I'll start with a question. Throwing an audience into the deep end, leaving them to piece together what's going on, can be an effective way to heighten the suspense and mystery in a movie, as the audience struggles to figure out what is going on at the same time learns about the movie's universe and its players. But when does it go to far? At what point is it a crutch used to gloss over the tricky work of introducing an audience to the movie's universe and the characters that inhabit it?
THE PROFESSIONAL: Well, if you are implying that Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has gone too far and made itself too confusing for audiences, I must disagree. This was perhaps my most anticipated movie of the year, not least because Gary Oldman, the GREATEST LIVING ACTOR, plays the main character. But I haven't read the book, nor seen the six-hour miniseries. I purposefully stayed away from all reviews and plot summaries, and I firmed myself up to have realistic expectations and a semblance of objectivity. I was not immediately blown away by the film, but the more time passes, the more my appreciation of the movie truly grows. This is a fine example of SHOW, DON'T TELL. There is no voice-over narration, no introductory Star Wars scrolling text. Audiences have to actually pay attention to what is going on and not be spoon-fed exposition. The plot was surprisingly simple - no real twists or double-crosses. The story was straightforward, but presented in a way that produced uncertainty and paranoia - just like somebody working in such intelligence services during the Cold War might actually feel. 'Tinker Tailor' is the anti-James Bond, the anti-24, and the anti-Mission Impossible, if you will.
THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE: I understood what was going on, and thought it was suspenseful, thrilling, and well-acted. I think the reason it was surprisingly simple (and the reason your appreciation was delayed) is because most of your mental energy was focused on putting the story together, rather than reveling in its impact. I enjoyed it, and think I would enjoy it even more the second time. But I can imagine that with some "tinkering" with the structure of the movie, it could have had even more of an impact without sacrificing the suspense or resorting to a "Star Wars scroll"...
** read more at filmdebate.wordpress.com **