A man should know when to leave the party...

Rating: 7/10 (1 September 2013)

This must be the real world of espionage. Not the car chases and excitement of James Bond, but men who sit and smoke and drink and discuss.
The film requires concentration. It isn't dull, but may strike some viewers, especially younger ones, as exactly that. There are a lot of characters to juggle in the search for a mole.
Swedish director Tomas Alfredson (Let The Right One In) provides a chilling and atmospheric story that presents clues in oblique references.
With John Hurt as Control and Gary Olman as George Smiley, the film features a host of more than competent actors. Smiley is brought out of retirement as part of a covert effort to uncover a Soviet turncoat. With the help of his protégé Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy), Smiley has to determine which of his former colleagues it might be: Percy (Toby Jones), Bill (Colin Firth), Roy (Ciaran Hinds), or Toby (David Dencik).
If you're in the mood for expertly handled tension, subtle menace and superior acting by everyone involved, this is not to be missed.