Smiley, past and present.

Rating: Null/10 (17 September 2011)

I have the audio and video versions of the Alec Guinness portrayal of George Smiley and enjoyed both. So I was intrigued as to how a new production, complete with new actors would supplant my ingrained vision of Control, George, Bill, Toby, Roy, Peter, Connie, Riki, Mendel etc. I have to say you need a blank sheet when watching this version as the whole thing has been re written for the cinema so comparisons will be unfair.
The writing and acting cannot be faulted, how can it with such an august cast. Oldman, like Guinness, portrays Smiley as a studied man and therefore the film is just as you would expect of a spy film, as has been mentioned in other reviews, a slow burner. There are different angles explored but one thing I didn't like and it goes for all films that I watch, and that is the use of flashbacks, which, unfortunately for me, this film uses.
The story is the same, its the way its portrayed that is different and now we may be able to look forward to a re-make of Smiley's People in the future.