Coming in from the cold
Director: Thomas Alfredson,
Starring: Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Colin Firth, John Hurt
Based on the classic novel by John le Carré, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy follows Cold War-era secret agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) as he attempts to ferret out a mole contained within the upper echelons of British Intelligence.
A completely different type of spy thriller to your typical Bond, Bourne or Mission Impossible action spectacular, this is far more cerebral and slow-paced, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Boasting one of the best casts in recent memory, Gary Oldman plays the part of the studious Smiley perfectly – more than living up to the marker laid down by Alec Guiness’ spymaster in the outstanding 1979 BBC mini-series of the same name – while the rest of the predominantly British ensemble are no less impressive.
Emphasising subtle, sly character details at the expense of flashy, straightforward storytelling, this film may not deliver palm-dampening excitement, but as Le Carré’s spies conduct their feints and betrayals amid a world of beige-brown, tobacco-fugged drabness, the prevailing mood of prickling unease will keep you no less on edge.
A classy story of duplicity and paranoia – an early contender for our film of the year.
Genre: Thriller
Age Restriction: R
Runtime: 127 min
