Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Rating: 10/10 (14 January 2012)

Anyone familiar with the novel knew this was going to be no easy task. The novel is complex and dense, as is this film. With Alfredson at the helm, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy captures everything that's great about the book. The film follows George Smiley, a man recently forcibly retired from British Intelligence. He's brought back in after an allegation is made that one of the top 4 men is a mole for a Russian operative known as Karla. Smiley's job is to flush out the mole. The reason this becomes so complicated is that nobody is sure who to believe. Each of the men within intelligence is slightly twisted or broken. They all have their weak spots, which are exploited throughout the film. Smiley is forever faithful to his disloyal wife. Tarr is a young thug also hypnotized by a woman. Alleline is an ambitious fool, and so on. Each character is played to perfection. Oldman is stoic but trustworthy as Smiley. His understated performance comes to a crescendo as he sees his wife being unfaithful. Upon re-watching it and knowing the importance of the photo frame, by just sitting still and staring, Oldman gives us plenty to think over. Hardy is a tough but lovable rogue. His mannerisms as he talks to Oldman show him as a nervous schoolboy type character. Firth is slimy but charming as the seduction machine, Haydon. His sexuality and loyalty to his colleagues is up in the air, and like Oldman, he can convey a lot in a single look. Everyone brings their A game and there isn't a single weak link. Every scene is well though out and economical. The film is bogged down with needless exposition. Alfredson prefers to use visuals where he can. He also uses excellent little cinematic metaphors to define his characters. For example, as a loose bee terrorises those in a car, Smiley bides his time, and waits, before opening a window. Unlike Cumberbatch's Peter, who swats at it and gets angry. Cumberbatch later does the same to Hardy without getting the full story. It also looks beautiful, with every frame being a loving re-creation of the 70's. I'd also like to address the so called confusion surrounding this film. You don't have to be smart to get it, but you do need concentration. There are dozens of names, code names, names of operations thrown around, and Alfredson doesn't patronise us with flashbacks or sleuthing montages. Nor will you hear Smiley go off on a Holmes like "elementary" rant. If you lose your place, it's going to be hard to find it again. Fantastic on all accounts, with a haunting musical score to really make it haunting.