Directed by:
Tomas AlfredsonCinematography:
Hoyte van HoytemaComposer:
Alberto IglesiasCast:
Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Ciarán Hinds, Stephen Graham, Benedict Cumberbatch, Simon McBurney, Roger Lloyd Pack, Kathy Burke (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
Set in the 1970s, TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY finds George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a recently retired MI6 agent, doing his best to adjust to a life outside the secret service. However, when a disgraced agent reappears with information concerning a mole at the heart of the Circus, Smiley is drawn back into the murky field of espionage. Tasked with investigating which of his trusted former colleagues has chosen to betray him and their country, Smiley narrows his search to four suspects - all experienced, urbane, successful agents - but past histories, rivalries and friendships make it far from easy to pinpoint the man who is eating away at the heart of the British establishment. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (11)
The objective is clear. The British secret service must find and remove a mole who has obviously been giving information to the Soviets. In an ordinary spy thriller, the collection of information and the revelation of new connections would lead to the uncovering of the traitor’s identity. Alfredson’s film essentially adheres to this formula, but the director is more interested in the structure than in superficial genre attractions. Though he doesn’t conceal the answers to pressing questions, he also takes enough time with them that we can recognise that the tension ensuing from the classification and declassification of information will be of secondary importance this time. The current story consists in the reconstruction of what has already happened and because most of what’s important happened in the past, the present sadistically provides no room for action. Because of the identical colour palette and small time scale (the characters don’t age significantly), the scenes “back then” are barely distinguishable from the scenes “now”. The blending of those scenes may be confusing at first, but the essence of espionage consists in the disorienting manipulation of facts, which on a personal level is manifested in the protagonists’ doubts about who they can actually trust. Black-and-white differentiation of villains and heroes doesn’t apply in this monotonously brownish world – with several wonderful WTF?! moments. Everyone pursues their own goals, including Smiley, who rather cynically thanks us for the trust placed in him, when (SPOILER) after the final purge, he accepts a position that will allow him the greatest control over information – nothing will change in the organisation’s non-transparent operation in the long term (END SPOILER). Smiley is indisputably the film’s main protagonist, through whom information is filtered, but the film keeps a similar observational distance from him as it does from the other characters. Many shots are filmed through glass (which is used as a tribute to the classic Rear Window), the characters impudently turn their backs to us, no effort is made to be appealing. The film is not ingratiating, which forces us to watch it more attentively. What’s essential takes place in the background, the mise-en-scéne (including the actors’ faces) reveals more than the dialogue, whose main contribution consists in subtly updating a book written during the Cold War. Some of the allusions to the unequal relationship between the United States and Britain are very contemporary and it would have been appropriate to give more space to them than to the demonisation of the Soviet Union, which here plays the role of a useful bogeyman. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy does not fulfil the requirements of a viewer-friendly film, but viewers who are willing to read between the lines will enjoy it all the more for that. 85%
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The most sophisticated spy picture of all time. But beneath all the distant sleekness, it is seething. By focusing on "irrelevant" details, Alfredson is able to create a complex storyline that in other films would require long minutes of dialog and an explanatory voice-over monolog. Here, a stubborn silence is maintained, and only rarely a cursory sentence is uttered, seemingly about nothing. And that's the biggest positive (and for many, the biggest negative). If you're on the same page with the film, in the silent scenes where the two Englishmen look at each other over a cup of tea, you'll be on the edge of your seat, covered in sweat, because "you know he knows that him over there knows" and there's no need for it to be mentioned through dialog. If you don’t catch this movie train or if leaves without you then you'll have long minutes waiting for you, watching two Englishmen looking at each other with cups of tea in their hands, and you’ll get nothing out of it. The borderline is thin, but it separates one of the most powerful experiences of recent years from one of the most boring experiences of recent years. So, it is hardly a film for everyone, but at least because of the unusually confident and stylish “70s" directing, it’s worth seeing. Also because it is a prime example of how to adapt a complex and extensive book; it is not a slavish copy nor a mere illustration, but a real adaptation fully transformed into cinematic language.
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Those who have Gary Oldman fixed as a demonic expressive representative of the most abhorrent villains will probably be surprised by the gray inconspicuous clerk, who shows no traces of charisma, yet enlightens us about the complex espionage game, which seems to me like a very realistic portrayal of the real world of intelligence games. I say about a certain category of films that they are excellent, but only for some people. That's exactly the case with this drama. It is a precise film with a well-thought-out story and sophisticated details, which, however, with its pace and deliberate avoidance of proven genre clichés and attractiveness for the viewer, rather discourages the average film consumer. I would say that it has the potential to become a classic of its genre, whose name will be pronounced with respect by film connoisseurs and genre specialists, but it certainly won't become a box office hit in the true sense of the word. Gary Oldman's performance impressed me, as well as the screenplay, which includes several real elements from the famous scandal surrounding the legendary spy and double agent Kim Philby, who, as a high-ranking officer of the British secret service, even aspired to the position of its chief while being controlled as a mole from Moscow for many years. The technical aspects of the film and the direction are precise, and those who are not deterred by the slow pace and lack of action will be rewarded with a great cinematic experience. Overall impression: 95%.
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I never really liked spy movies, but some are worth watching. The recent Bond films really impressed me, but "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" is definitely not something like James Bond. It is a completely different film, with a very depressing atmosphere. I haven't read any novels by John le Carré, but if they have the same atmosphere as the film, they must be excellent to read. The film was directed by Tomas Alfredson, who shone with the film "Let the Right One In". Neither vampire horror nor spy thriller are completely enjoyable to watch, but they can leave a big impression. In both cases, you have a feeling that something bad will happen. The atmosphere and visual aspect are presented in such a way that it weighs on you. You might feel at times that the film suffocates you, that it doesn't illuminate the sun and if it does, it's only in a strange, hazy way. The director had great actors to work with. The list of male performers is almost overwhelming: Gary Oldman, Mark Strong, John Hurt, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Ciarán Hinds, and Tom Hardy. None of them is an unknown actor, you might at least know some of them by face. It's interesting that there isn't a more famous actress here. Women seem to be pushed into the background in this film. At times, it reminded me a little of "Munich", but without the pathos, without unnecessary fluff. The scene from the celebration party is like a phantom, as if it took place in a different world. I'm quite curious whether the character of George Smiley will return, because there are more books written about him and Gary Oldman gave him incredible charisma. A plain appearance hiding definitely an interesting person. And a dangerous person. I'm also quite interested to see if Mark Strong will ever play a positive character. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/12/motocyklove-deniky-proposition-v-zajeti.html
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I felt like a redneck in a posh restaurant who orders some incredibly expensive chef’s special and a thousand Euro bottle of wine and then, when they bring it, I lovingly reminisce of a pork schnitzel with a beer at the local pub. An incredibly well made spy drama whose potential to become an immediate modern genre classic is similar to, for instance, last year’s western True Grit, or Tomas Alfredson’s previous film, Let the Right One in. For me, however, it was too slow, with too much dialogue, too one dimensional and too long, which, together with the fact that spy dramas are not my favourite genre, resulted in my being unable to properly appreciate it. I’m sorry, but that’s the fact.
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