97 of 1001 Movies: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

 Maybe you've watched Let the Right One In, but you probably didn't figure the same guy who directed it also directed Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.  The Swedish director put together this film in the same quiet way he seems to have a trademark for with a very huge list of British actors. In Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy you have a slow building suspense that has a few strong characters you want to grow with, and other you would hope more from.

It's the Cold War, and things are very bleak especially for unit M16. After a betrayal happens among them two agents are sent into retirement, but George Smiley is still curious as to figure out what exactly went wrong when they let a mole under their noses to jeopardize another. With the help of Peter he begins piecing together the events to figure it out. Others show up to help him to out the ones responsible for the fall, and down fall of M16 as far as their dignity among their colleagues.


There will be some characters you hope more from like Gary Oldman's George, and others you don't think are given enough time like Tom Hardy's Ricki Tarr. Gary Oldman is a versatile actor who's played everything from a wizard, a police, and a vampire, and now an agent, so he's got the diversity to stretch his acting, but for some reason his character never seems to feel like he gets off the ground despite the great acting. Tom Hardy plays an agent, Ricki, who is now struggling to find a woman taken into custody after betraying her people to him. For some reason the romance, and his passion for his character really stand out, and you miss seeing the story whenever it is not on screen.

Mark Strong is Jim, the guy who suffered at the hands of the mole who betrayed his organization. His character goes through probably some of the most in depth development, and by the end we see his true value in the film. He's probably one of the characters to most closely keep your eye on. John Hurt also gives the film a little comedic relief here and there as Control, who retires along with Smiley. You have Colin Firth as one of the other agents in MI6, and he does nothing less than you would expect from Firth portraying Bill. Peter is portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch. He is sort of a more quiet character in a film, but he has a lot of room to develop.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy isn't a movie that is meant to be fast paced, or always trying to catch your attention. It isn't a slow building film that grows the tenseness between it among the characters who are trying to figure out is the bad egg in MI6. Since it is two hours this does make it feel it is dragging at times. You also have flashbacks that are threw in without much explanation. While the party the guys attended is a nice way of showing their interactions in the past, and was a great touch at adding depth it could have been woven in better with titles to explain the transition.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has a very British vibe about it. The way it's shot, the dark colors, the acting, and the build all have some heavy trademarks about it. During the second half when things begin taking shape you find the film is worth the watch, but it takes a long time to get to that  point. Not all the characters are as intriguing as the others though, but it at least keeps you wondering what will happen next.

Rating 5 of 10