Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Film director Tomas Alfredson first rose to fame in 2008 with his critically-acclaimed vampire chiller “Let the Right One In.” The word “chiller” is an apt description; it was indeed a chilling film surrounded by an icy, very unnerving tone; every image was eerie and every scene was discomforting. With his newest film, a sophisticated Cold War spy drama set in the ‘70s, the Swedish director has maintained this unsettling and icy mood; with it, the Cold War gets a little bit colder.

“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” is based on the 1974 novel of the same name by John le Carré. It is also based on the BBC min-series adaptation from 1979, which starred the wonderful Alec Guinness. I’m afraid to say I have not read the novel, nor have I seen the mini-series, but what I can say is that Alfredson’s big-screen adaptation stands impeccably well on its own two feet.

Master-of-disguise Gary Oldman (“The Dark Knight”) stars as George Smiley, a retired British intelligence officer who is called back into duty when a mole is suspected to be lurking about inside the Circus. What is the Circus? It’s the headquarters of MI6, and a mole inside this organisation would be very bad news indeed.

Smiley is tasked with discovering the identity of the double agent. We know the mole is one of five men: Percy Alleline (Toby Jones, “Infamous”), Bill Haydon (Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech”), Roy Bland (Ciarán Hinds, “The Rite”),  Toby Esterhase (David Dencik, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) or Smiley himself.

These people are all very high-up in MI6, which is a worrying thought. Smiley has worked with each and every one of them over his many years of service and has been close with them; one of them has betrayed not only their country, but Smiley himself. Aiding him in his investigation is Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch, “Sherlock”), retired researcher Connie Sachs (Kathy Burke, “Gimme Gimme Gimme”) and scalphunter Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy, “Bronson”).

The investigation is intriguing and develops with a deliberately slow pace. As the movie goes on we are presented with new information and evidence as Smiley interviews, questions and is approached by those with facts and findings. We’re entirely unaware of the identity of the mole, but are eager to find out; thankfully, the revelation is satisfying.

The investigation is also very complicated, an inevitability with so many characters and so many motivations and betrayals going on; I must admit I found myself lost at several stages in the plot. It’s a complex narrative that frequently jumps back and forth between past and present as its intricacy unravels. However, as baffled as I was, I remained captivated and fascinated.

As you may have already noticed, the cast list is utterly stupendous; it’s a who’s who of great British actors. On the supporting front, it’s Cumberbatch and Hardy who really stand out among the others. There’s also the magnificent Mark Strong (“Kick-Ass”), who gives an intense performance as troubled British agent Jim Prideaux.

Oldman, one of the best actors working today, gives one of the most outstanding performances of his career. As he does with every single one of his performances, Oldman entirely becomes Smiley, a man who is quiet and discreet, barely ever opening his mouth, though when he does he shows the sharpness of his mind. He’s a true introvert, communicating with his eyes for most of the runtime; it’s unbelievable that this is the same actor who played a violent, wannabe-black pimp in Tony Scott‘s “True Romance.”

As I’ve seen many others point out, Smiley is the complete opposite of James Bond. They’re both British agents, yes, but Bond is the fantasy and Smiley is more the reality. Bond is a glamorised, womanising adventurer, and Smiley is very much a tired, middle-aged fart; indeed, it’s Smiley’s wife who is the promiscuous one.

Smiley’s an enthralling character to watch, and Oldman’s  performance is utterly faultless. He’s a brilliant actor playing a brilliant character in a brilliant film; a perfect fit, you could say. Even though he’s essentially the main character, one still feels he steals the film, and he does it without ever saying too much.

On a visual level, “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” is beautifully directed and designed without error; the period detail is incredibly convincing. On an acting level, the film is exceptional; every actor appears to give it their all, and it entirely pays off. And on a plotting level, the film is absorbing from beginning to end, even if you do find yourself lost and confused on occasion.

9/10