Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Runtime: 127 minutes

Directed by: Tomas Alfredson

Starring: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, John Hurt (RIP)

From: StudioCanal

While the reason I finally saw this was unfortunate, I am also glad I watched the film; I won't mention it here but in the future I'll see it again, as it's one of those motion picture. I explain why below: 

Before last night I wasn't expecting to watch this movie on Netflix Instant; regrettably I finally saw this due to John Hurt passing away. While the role he had in this was not large, I at least am able here to give my regards to him and all the things I've seen him in, whether or not I have them logged on Letterboxd. This is something I should have seen much sooner than last night... between the star-studded cast, the low-key plot about spy business being a 180 from the Bond movies but I was still intrigued... that and the director Tomas Alfredson being the guy who gave us one of my favorites in Let the Right One In... shame on me.

This is definitely a British take on the spy genre; things are measured and to use a cliché, “stiff British upper lip” really applies here. It's a layered nuanced movie which is probably best seen more than once, as things aren't spoon-fed to you. When I do see it again in the future, I likely won't log it here but on first watch it is still pretty rewarding. The plot is early 70's United Kingdom, and MI6 has a problem: a mole tied to the Soviet Union is pretty high up in the ranks, and ex-agent Gary Oldman needs to do a clandestine operation where he and some others need to try and weed out this person; along the way they come across some real characters and the task becomes that more difficult.

As I stated already, it has quite the cast: Hurt, Oldman, Benedict Cumberbatch-w/ great moptop haircut-Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Tom Hardy, Toby Jones... there is talent all around and they all do a nice job, especially Oldman. While not flashy, the story always held my interest as I tried to figure out what was going on and who to trust. It is a movie you have to pay attention to; it's not something you can just have in the background. To me, the journey is pretty rewarding.

I have never read the novel by John Le Carre that this is based on, nor the 1979 BBC miniseries that starred Alec Guinness. Maybe one day I'll see the latter. For now, I can say that if you want to see something smart which is not dumbed down for “the rubes” and presents many great subtle moments, please check this out. A movie where how two people deal with a housefly says a lot about them & their personalities... that's the kind of deft touch you get to experience throughout.