Best spy movie so far

Rating: 10/10 (10 March 2015)

Well, I know this is an arguable (best spy movie ever hehe). However, I do have some arguments - and of course my totally subjective feelings :)
Seeing the movie, I think this is probably one of the most accurate in terms of how things actually worked back then in the Cold War era. The story is believable - not so say that most likely many similar stories actually did happened.
The atmosphere, the historical conjecture, the music/costumes/decors, the story itself I think give a very good flavor of the times. Also the way the story was structured makes it quite believable and will little by little capture you to the extent you forget to eat the popcorn :). And it is not too "out there" - this is something that could actually have happened.
The actors were all well chosen and I think they played their roles magnificently - with the right amount of emotions and the needed subtlety if I may dare say so (they were in the end spies, but also have personal ties with certain people, and were human beings very much aware of what was in play). The way people react, behave or even manipulate others ("I will do my utmost, Ricky" - Smiley knew the girl was already dead but still needed Ricky) is really in line with the story and the personalities we see. Gary Oldman was really the star in this movie - but honestly all his colleagues did a stellar job as well (even those we hate :)).
I would say this is (unfortunately) a rare pearl that does not follow the classical "recipe" for spy movies (more special effects and brawn than brains and atmosphere).
Yes, I would agree there are a few clumsy points in the story (not as many as some say, if you really think about it), but that doesn't change the overall feeling of the movies. IMHO. BTW, I did loved the hint on how Karla decided to attack Smiley - via his wife, which he learned was his Achilles heel while Smiley was trying to turn him.
Also, as a former "G-man", I could definitely identify myself with Smiley and his subordinates in some situations - not as an information officer (sorry guys - I'm just a fan of spy movies in this respect), but as a public servant facing the bureaucracy. Those who had such jobs most likely know what I'm talking about :)
If you find the story is not very straightforward, I think it is deliberate - there are clues on the background story, and by the end of the movie it is clear what actually did happened. This is not a Bond movie mind you (well, I do like Bond movies, but they are just not at the same level).
I just hope to be able to change my opinion soon - i.e see an even better spy movie :)
PS To add more context: I'm a 80's kid, and furthermore, I'm from the Eastern Europe - i.e. the former Communist block. So the Cold War is no stranger to me - and this was a reality much more acutely perceived in the former Communist block, for oh so many reasons. This movie brings back memories, but strangely enough makes in a pleasant way PS2 I never believed I would be a fan of a Julio Iglesias song, but here I am now... these movies... I also almost memorized the USSR anthem due to this movie :)