Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tomas Alfredson (2011)

122min

15 Certificate

Review

Our Score

by Damon Wise

Admirers of the BBC's 1979 TV series might think it foolish to make a feature film of John le Carré's novel in the first place, let alone give it to Tomas Alfredson, the Swedish director of cult horror Let the Right One In. But this period thriller features great performances and terrific Cold War detail, as retired spy George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is brought back to the secret service after the death of a colleague (John Hurt), who claimed to have evidence of a deep-cover Russian agent. But who is it? On the page and on TV, such intrigue had time to smoulder, but in the course of two hours the plot points whizz past at a bewildering rate, pausing only for cryptic close-ups of the major suspects (Ciarán Hinds, Colin Firth, Toby Jones and David Dencik). The cast and set dressing are all first class, superbly capturing a weary point in recent British history, but there's a sketchiness to the characters that makes it hard to root for Smiley, let alone ponder the motives of the mysterious mole.

Summary

The deputy to the head of British intelligence is forced into retirement after an operation ends in disaster. He is later recruited by the government to return to duty and investigate the possibility of a Soviet mole in a high-ranking position in MI6. Cold War thriller based on John Le Carre's novel, with Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Benedict Cumberbatch and Roger Lloyd Pack.

Cast & Crew

George Smiley Gary Oldman

Bill Haydon Colin Firth

Peter Guillam Benedict Cumberbatch

Jim Prideaux Mark Strong

Percy Alleline Toby Jones

Ricki Tarr Tom Hardy

Control John Hurt

Roy Bland Ciaran Hinds

Esterhase David Dencik

Connie Sachs Kathy Burke

Mendel Roger Lloyd Pack

Jerry Westerby Stephen Graham

Oliver Lacon Simon McBurney

Polyakov Konstantin Khabensky

Ann Smiley Katrina Vasilieva

Mackelvore Christian McKay

Irina Svetlana Khodchenkova

Tufty Thesinger Philip Martin Brown

Director Tomas Alfredson

Other Information

Language: EnglishColourTheatrical distributor: Optimum ReleasingGuidance: Violence, swearing, sex scenes.Available on: DVD and Blu-rayReleased on: 16 Sep 2011

Drama

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