Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Directed by: Tomas Alfredson

Written by: Bridget O'Connor (screenplay), Peter Straughan (screenplay), John le Carré (novel)

I reviewed the original novel here not too long ago, so I won't bother mentioning a plot summary. Let's just move straight into analysis here.

Going into it, I was worried that the running time of the film would require huge chunks of the novel to be truncated. The screenwriters did a fantastic job of keeping the core story together while making only minor alterations to the side stories. Aside from opening the film with what happened on the operation in Hungary (which is not revealed until near the end of the novel), the most important elements of the story were kept almost entirely intact.

The acting performances are all superb. Gary Oldman is excellent as George Smiley, though the character is intended to be mild-mannered and quiet. All of the supporting cast, such as Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch, really shine in their smaller parts.

Some of the symbolism, especially the bloody tear drop at the end, was a bit heavy-handed.

I did have one major blind spot in regards to this film - I'd already read the novel, so I knew what was going on. The major criticism I've heard in regards to this film is that so much of what goes on is very subtle that it becomes very hard to follow. I was able to follow it fine, but I can see where it might have been confusing for those not already familiar, especially in regards to the Ricki Tarr flashbacks and the sting operation at the end. There are also many tertiary characters - such as Bland, Alleline, and that bunch - whose roles and jobs are much more clear in the novel but are inserted in the film with little to no explanation.

It's nice to see a good spy film that doesn't resort to James Bond style action. The ideas of espionage and double-agents have fallen into darkness when it comes to spy stories. It was nice to see them revived.

Overall, I'd recommend this film. It's a bit long, but well worth it, if only for Oldman and Hardy's performances.