Beautiful and mesmerising, it is a masterpiece.

Rating: 9/10 (28 September 2014)

I have not seen the original mini series that this is based on (At the time of writing this review, I plan to see it) but this film blew me away. Everything from the cinematography to the soundtrack is crafted perfectly with matriculates detail. The look of the film is beautiful, setting the tone perfectly for the film, and showing the style of the era. The All-Star cast of British actors all do amazing jobs in their roles, Benedict Cumberbatch and Garry Oldman stealing the show. One of my few complaints is that John Hurt and Stephen Graham did not get anywhere near enough screen time, as they are both fantastic actors, but that is just nitpicking. There is also a bit of score in the scene where Cumberbatch's character is infiltrating to get a file that didn't fit the scene that took me out of the movie, but is nothing major.
If your expecting a spy film with car chases or big explosions or cool gadgets, look elsewhere, this film is a different look at spy thrillers, and pulls off its goal perfectly. The pacing is great, but for people more accustomed to James Bond-style spy flicks may find it slow, if this is the case, then this isn't the film for you.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy easily gets a 9/10 from me and is one of the best films of 2011 and of the the spy thriller genre.