February 7, 2012
Serpentine and silvery-grey, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a snake of a movie. Cold, quiet, slithery and full of menace.
George Smiley has been fired from the Circus, the top echelon of the British spy game. But his former boss – edged out too – thinks there’s a mole. And rogue agent Ricki Tarr confirms it. But with one member of the Circus shot dead in eastern Europe and every member of the circle now a suspect, Smiley is stalking his own. It’s a deadly game.
Gary Oldman excels as Smiley, a study in quietness. Ageing himself believably and affecting a monotone immediately recalling Alec Guinness’ TV spy, it’s a masterful portrayal of a man whose life is all about watching others. Partnered with man-of-the-moment Benedict Cumberbatch, Oldman’s Smiley is counterbalanced by a younger devil-may-care version of himself. It works dramatically and thaws the otherwise glacial effect of the central character.
Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In) is an inspired choice as director, his quiet characterful style suited to the tics and nuances of Le Carre’s story. And it’s a cast to die for – a perfect storm of British acting talent: John Hurt, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Toby Jones and the young bloods Tom Hardy (Bronson, Warrior, Inception) and Cumberbatch (Sherlock, War Horse).
In the wide-boy role, Hardy is convincing as the tortured soul Ricki Tarr. But it’s Cumberbatch who really catches the eye – and not just for his sandy blonde hair. It’s a cool-as-cucumber performance that credibly conveys the dangers and sacrifices of the spying life. His mission to infiltrate the upper storeys of the Circus and retrieve a file drips with dread.
And yet the quirky telling of the tale, somewhat out of sequence, and the sombre-grey photography sap some of the cinematic edge making it as suited to DVD as the cinema screen. Especially so given the opportunity to revisit the movie again - as anyone taken by it will no doubt want to do. It’s a multi-layered film, sadly not served by a multi-layered disc, with only the sketchiest of extras.
A spy film of this calibre deserves a better and deeper release, suited to its subject. But as an antidote to rushed film making and telegraphed plot points, Tinker Tailor is a refreshing change. An accomplished, affecting film, it’s heavy atmosphere has an almost ghost-like chilliness, strongly evoking the deadly claustrophobia of Cold War espionage.
George Smiley has been fired from the Circus, the top echelon of the British spy game. But his former boss – edged out too – thinks there’s a mole. And rogue agent Ricki Tarr confirms it. But with one member of the Circus shot dead in eastern Europe and every member of the circle now a suspect, Smiley is stalking his own. It’s a deadly game.
Gary Oldman excels as Smiley, a study in quietness. Ageing himself believably and affecting a monotone immediately recalling Alec Guinness’ TV spy, it’s a masterful portrayal of a man whose life is all about watching others. Partnered with man-of-the-moment Benedict Cumberbatch, Oldman’s Smiley is counterbalanced by a younger devil-may-care version of himself. It works dramatically and thaws the otherwise glacial effect of the central character.
Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In) is an inspired choice as director, his quiet characterful style suited to the tics and nuances of Le Carre’s story. And it’s a cast to die for – a perfect storm of British acting talent: John Hurt, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Toby Jones and the young bloods Tom Hardy (Bronson, Warrior, Inception) and Cumberbatch (Sherlock, War Horse).
In the wide-boy role, Hardy is convincing as the tortured soul Ricki Tarr. But it’s Cumberbatch who really catches the eye – and not just for his sandy blonde hair. It’s a cool-as-cucumber performance that credibly conveys the dangers and sacrifices of the spying life. His mission to infiltrate the upper storeys of the Circus and retrieve a file drips with dread.
And yet the quirky telling of the tale, somewhat out of sequence, and the sombre-grey photography sap some of the cinematic edge making it as suited to DVD as the cinema screen. Especially so given the opportunity to revisit the movie again - as anyone taken by it will no doubt want to do. It’s a multi-layered film, sadly not served by a multi-layered disc, with only the sketchiest of extras.
A spy film of this calibre deserves a better and deeper release, suited to its subject. But as an antidote to rushed film making and telegraphed plot points, Tinker Tailor is a refreshing change. An accomplished, affecting film, it’s heavy atmosphere has an almost ghost-like chilliness, strongly evoking the deadly claustrophobia of Cold War espionage.
