Actor-tastic adaptation of the 1974 British spy novel by John le Carré, directed by Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In) – his first English-language film.
In the bleak days of the Cold War, middle-aged, taciturn, espionage veteran George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6's echelons, dubbed the "Circus" by those who work there.
A previous adapation was made in 1979 as a seven-part series for BBC, featuring Alec Guiness as George Smiley.
When Tinker Tailor sweeps this year’s award nominations as it surely will – this is a film that yawns with quality – the one it most deserves will be missing: Best Supporting Mote. Adapted from John Le Carré’s Cold War spy novel, Tomas Alfredson’s follow-up to Let The Right One In is thick with dust, must and ash, its ageing agents suffocating in waves of grey as they try to root out the Russian mole “muddying the waters” at M16. Is there any point? As Gary Oldman’s creased George Smiley puts it: “There’s as little worth on your side as there is on mine.”
With its austere atmosphere, glacial pace and longwinded plot, it’s not a film for everyone. The most exciting setpiece takes place in a library, and no-one cracks out the Bourne moves. But there’s plenty for connoisseurs to savour, and all the time in the world to do so (the running time is just shorter than the Cold War itself). Oldman leads one of the best British casts ever assembled – we lose two UK acting greats before the opening credits even finish – and the film has a terrible sadness that seeps into your bones.
This isn’t Dr No or In Like Flint, it’s the prolonged and messy end of an era. Each chance of renewal (a mother suckling her baby, a bird swooping from the fireplace) gets violently snuffed out. And those dusty swirls aren’t just stylised visuals, they’re the ghosts of wasted lives. Seems some spies never did come in from the cold.
By Matt Glasby, Flicks.co.nz
The tv series total running time was around 6 hrs 40 minutes, The film was just over 2 hours. it doesn't take a genius to work out that trying to fit all the relevant information into a film which is a third of the the Tv series running time is going to leave a lot out. Although the TV series was not exaclty like the book, it did however cover all the bases and was maticulously methodical. The book was excellent and the capture of the spy believe it or not was better executed in the tv series. I found the film was missing a lot of information and it was only the fact that i have read the book and seen the tv series that i was able to make sense of it.
Perhaps it was because I watched on an airline flight, but didn't find this measured up to the general view.
I was originally drawn to this film because of the massive range of absolutely stunning actors - I mean, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy... all in one movie?! YES PLEASE. They did not disappoint, either! The slow pacing was a refreshing change from other 'wham-bam' films these days, and I am in awe of the attention to detail. All the small noises, such as the scratch of a pen on paper, all worked to create the suspenseful atmosphere. As well as this, I was struck by the fact that there was much less dialogue than other films - so much was said without words, and it was far more impacting and touching for this. It probably isn't a film for everyone, but that won't stop me from recommending to everyone! :)
Really, wildly, completely brilliant in it's recreation of an era and a secret service, yet TTSSpy's plotting and sweetly taciturn characters make it drag a little. But you're always delighted by what you see, and you're always trying to figure out what's going on, so there's plenty of enjoyment to be had. It's just that the pace and the timing is from another era too, so you need to unbuckle yourself from 2012 and just give in to the beauty and the detail and the astonishing craft. Mark Strong steals the show, with, really, the most complex character who goes on the biggest journey.Not a date movie. One to see with your dad, and then go have a whiskey and chat about it in detail with him. What other films can you do that with?
I wasnt sure what to expect, but, thats Gary Oldman for you. Nice to see him with a hard-to-deliver Character this time showing his full arsenal of delayed and timed speech capped of with what my mum would call -elocution? the only Man that trusts Batman, the dreadlock wearing drug dealer, and the completely wrong haircut bad guy holds this slow, yet absorbing story together. (i wont spoil it!) and If you've seen romeo is bleeding then you know he can hold a great character even though the film is more about the story than the main character. fully 60's and never detracts from it, this is a classic spy thriller, a real spy thriller, where the worlds fate of 'mutually assured destruction' (nukes!) is at stake, and even has a slight poke at the politics behind the spy game. the best conversations happen over booze, and the violence, although graphic at times, is more vignette than action sequence. I'd tell myself to watch it.
Its dealings and double-dealings will probably be better understood on a second viewing, but it only takes one to appreciate Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as a film.
Tinker Tailor didn't work for me.
Utterly absorbing, extremely smart and - considering this is a sad, shabby, drably grey-green world of obsessives, misfits, misdirection, disillusionment, self-delusion and treachery - quite beautifully executed.
John Le Carré’s complicated, distanced Cold War classic turns into a visual delight with an authentic British feel.
When a film has so many attributes—including superior performances and a tangible sense of time, place, and atmosphere—it’s tempting to overlook its shortcomings.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 19th Jan 2012.
Release date: January 19th 2012.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
