for the discerning few

Rating: 9/10 (9 January 2012)

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor, Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief.
This is a common counting game, or nursery rhyme. This is also the greatest spy story ever told by arguably the finest writer of the genre, John LeCarre. And like Fleming, why are leCarre's work so inspired- because of his own spy background. In the real world is name is David Cromwell, and he was unfortunate enough to have his cover blown to the KGB by a MI6 double agent. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy in many ways then is the story of his own life.
Control: "I know Moscow has planted a mole in MI6, and it is one of five men- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Poorman and Beggarman". A failed conversion attempt of a Hungarian general by a MI6 operative sets off the witch-hunt for this elusive mole by "Beggarman" Gary Oldman. This forms the basis of the movie, which is an intense concoction of dramatic interrogations, revealing flashbacks, and all pervading sense of paranoia.
Set in the 70s mostly in grubby London and some more of Europe, this movie is about the real world of spies vs spies- No gunfights, slam bang car chases, high stake heists and liberal use of weapons of mass destruction. Rather this one is grim and cerebral, consists of whispered conversations in sealed rooms that help put snippets of the puzzle together to flesh out someone who has been an enigma till date. The movie has moments of dullness where nothing happens, yet so utterly engrossing that you don't move out of your seat till the final chapter plays out.
And a large part of the film's appeal lies in the iconic, all British starcast- John Hurt as Control, Toby Jones as Tinker, Colin Firth as Tailor, Ciaran Hinds as Soldier, David Dencik as Poorman, Mark Strong as Jim and of course, Gary Oldman as Beggarman/Smiley. All these masters put on their best acting suits to keep the viewer engaged in an essentially drab, weathered, smoke filled setting, where the closest thing to excitement is often the telephone bell ringing. There are occasional moments of shocking cruelty but yet why the movie really works is that every little scene remains important allowing us to simultaneously conduct over very own investigations into the case, and the fact that till the very end you don't know who to trust and who not to.
As the inquisitive Smiley, Gary Oldman is stupendous- here is a spy who due to personal issues may be beaten but is not broken, who pursues his task through a world filled with distrust, and corruption with a quiet sense of capability, intelligence and ruthlessness. Colin Firth, fresh from his Oscar, has a small but significant role is brutally effective, John Hurt plays his usual fatherly self, while the supporting cast of Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hardy put in crucial and nuanced performances.
Director Tom Alfredson has already impressed with the authentic vampire story- Let The Right One In, and here in addition to condensing source matter which the BBC did in 7 hour-long episodes, into a compact 2 hour feature, he also stitches together a gloomy and impenetratable atmosphere along with layered performances from the cast to create a film not for everyone, but rewarding for those who know how to look and listen. 9/10 and for the discerning viewers only. Playing at a theatre near you.