Review of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) by Zach J — 06 Dec 2012

In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from his semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet mole within the MI6.

Rating: 10/10 (100%).

I must begin by saying that this is not a film that everyone will like, but I found it to be one of 2011's best films. It is based on a spy novel of the same name by John Le Carre, which I didn't read at the time of viewing but I am reading it now, and was directed by Tomas Alfredson. The film is very dense and dark, and there is quite a deep sense of paranoia as the plot thickens. It is a film that requires patience and possibly closed captions, as it is a slow progressing film and it is at times a little hard to follow if you don't pay attention close enough. The direction by Alfredson was sleek and beautiful, and the screenplay by Bridget O'Conner and Peter Straughan was absolutely thought-provoking. Among the brilliant direction and script was an a cast of truly talented actors and actresses, to name a few: John Hurt, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, and Benedict Cumberbatch, and the whole cast gave absolutely spectacular performances. I was really hoping Gary won the Oscar for best actor, as he is one of the most deserving actors who should definitely win. His performance as George ranks, without a doubt, among the best performances of his career, which include Sid Vicious (Sid & Nancy) and Lt. Jim Gordon (Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy).

In conclusion of this very sloppily written review, while this film is not for everyone, it is a very dense and well made film that is quite rewarding if you have patience and understanding of the plot. Not too many people ranked it as highly as I did, but in my opinion it is one of the finest films made in 2011. Thank you for reading.