counter, counter, counter espionage at its finest

Rating: Null/10 (21 January 2012)

I've always been a fan of John le Carre's novels. I was thrilled to here that one of my favourite novels had been made into a movie, but until this week it didn't look like I was going to be able to get a chance to see it on the big screen.
John le Carre's novels are an intimate look at the day to day work of a spy during the cold war era. Not James Bond, who all the villains know, but real spys. This has no absurd escapes like one would see in the Bourne Identity and no major shot outs like the A team. Its not an action film, its a spy story.
The basis of the story is that control believed that there was a mole in the British secret service and wanted to find out who it was. The speculation was that some one in a position of power in the circus was a soviet agent. The phrase trust no one really is apt in this film. George Smiley, a character who never seems to smile, is asked to come out of retirement and spy on his colleague in order to figure out who is the enemy spy hiding in the British secret service.
Its not an easy film to watch. The film has a grainy quality that gives it the look of a film from the 70's. The flash backs can get confusing and George Smiley spends a lot of time just thinking.
From what what I recall, the book is not an easy book to follow either. But once you are immersed in this world of paranoia and betrayal and intrigue, its very enjoyable. My 12 year old son also enjoyed it. If you like films about intrigue and puzzles, this is the film for you I truly wish they would make more films like this.