TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY - archive from 26th January 2012.

I saw 'TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY' on Tuesday night. This films lives up to expectations with a strong cast headed up by Gary Oldman and starring Colin Firth, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Toby Jones, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch and Kathy Burke all putting in a good turn. Directed by Tomas Alfredson and set in London, this film captures the mood of the mid-70's perfectly down to the last detail set against the backdrop of The Cold War, espionage and double crosses. Based of course on perhaps one of the greatest espionage novels ever written by a certain Mr. John le Carre, the screenplay offers a little deviation from the source material but in a way that enhances the end result rather than the opposite.

At the height of the Cold War and following a bodged up covert operation in Budapest, the scapegoats at MI6 become British Intelligence spymsater supremo 'Control' (John Hurt) and his offsider George Smiley (Gary Oldman). Following their dismissal it is learned that a Russian mole has infiltrated the Secret Service and so Smiley is brought back into the fray, following the untimely death of 'Control' shortly after his 'retirement' due to ill health. 'Control' had suspicions for a little while and set up code names for his prime suspects - there is 'Tinker' Percy Alleline (Toby Jones); 'Tailor' Bill Haydon (Colin Firth); 'Soldier' Roy Bland (Ciaran Hinds); 'Poor Man' Toby Esterhase (David Dencik) and 'Beggarman' George Smiley himself. There are others too standing on the sidelines including Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) who was the man on the ground in Budapest, and was shot and captured by the Russians, Ricky Tarr (Tom Hardy) as the man who had first laid claim that a mole was within the Service but was thought to have defected to the other side too, hence Smiley's reappearance to investigate, and Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) as Smiley's undercover agent to support his investigations on the outside.

What unravels as Smiley digs deeper, and his investigations broaden is a web of intrigue involving British and Russian Intelligence trading secrets back & forth about what the Americans may of may not be doing too to protect their own backyard. As Smiley closes in the ranks tighten on all sides and more truths are uncovered that in the end point to who our real spy is, and as seen in a moment of realisation and clarity in Smiley's mind as all pieces of the puzzle come together.  

Oldman's performance is nuanced, considered, meticulous and measured as the older statesman almost of the 'The Circus', as MI6 is referred to throughout. You can almost see the cogs turning inside his head and behind his large horn rimmed spectacles that sit on his nose - carefully mulling over every last minute piece of information and obsessing over the tiniest details to capture his foe. This is old school investigative work with none of the super high tech gadgetry and daring-do that we know exists in our 21st Century world and as depicted in the 'Mission: Impossibe' franchise for example. This is another reason why this film succeeds and why its cast of solid English character actors fit their roles so perfectly.

This is a slow burn of a movie so don't expect James Bond, Ethan Hunt or Jason Bourne to jump out of the screen at you - it is a considered, plodding, meticulous and intelligent film that will merit second viewing to go back over what you probably missed first time.  Made for US$21M it grossed just over US$80M. Along the way it was nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Lead Role, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Achievement in Music, but it failed to win. It was nominated for ten BAFTA's and won the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film, and Best Adapted Screenplay. All up there were 70 nominations and 34 award wins.

You can of course catch it now on DVD and Bluray and it is well worth you doing so if you haven't seen this already.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-