New Release Review: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Tomas Alfredson, 2011)

Tomas Alfedson, the man at the helm of 2008’s wonderfully atmospheric Swedish vampire film, Let the Right One In, is back to direct an adaptation of John Le Carre’s acclaimed 1974 novel, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The intriguingly complex screenplay is penned by Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan. With extremely dense storytelling, comprised of an unconventional extended montage-style approach, this is a film that requires undivided attention from a viewer – but is certainly an engrossing experience well worth your time.

The plot is perfectly comprehensible, but the way that the script balances its characters, seamlessly blends timelines, and shifts between recounts, will likely leave some viewers lost in the murkiness and scratching their heads. A return will no doubt make everything much clearer. The characters are so interesting (flawed but evoking sympathy), and the production so calculated, that I feel like it earns another viewing. Overall, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is not going to get your pulse racing (don't expect something in the vein of the Bourne films) but it does have some suspense, and some pretty unexpected revelations. It is a thinking person’s espionage thriller, with not the reclamations of nuclear warheads at stake, but the possession of incriminating information, surrounded by a stifling claustrophobic and paranoiac atmosphere.

Set in London in the early 1970's Tinker Tailor follows the hunt for a Soviet double agent at the top of the British Secret Service ("the Circus"). The film opens with a botched operation in Hungary, which finds Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) compromised during a meeting with a Hungarian general wishing to sell information. As a result of this incident, Control (John Hurt) and his closest comrade George Smiley (Gary Oldman) are forced into retirement. When news of a long-time mole in a senior role in British Intelligence is brought to the attention of Oliver Lacon, the Civil Servant in charge of intelligence, he brings Smiley out of retirement to investigate the allegations by agent Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy), learned during an operation in Istanbul.

Smiley enlists the help of Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) and begins interrogating a several ex-employees who might be able to she some insight on the claims, also seeking out Tarr (who hides out in Smiley's home) and Prideaux (who reveals his true purpose of his mission in Hungary). It is revealed that Control had long suspected a mole and given the suspects code names: Percy Alleline (Tony Jones), who becomes the new chief of the Circus was named "Tinker", Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), Percy's deputy, was named "Tailor", Roy Bland (Ciaran Hindes) was named "Soldier" and Toby Esterhase (David Dencik) was named "Poorman". To solve this riddle, Smiley must covertly monitor his former colleagues - digging up past indiscretions and facing painful memories of his own past, while trying to protect Guillam and Tarr, whose lives are also placed in danger.

Alberto Iglesias, who also wonderfully scored Pedro Almodovar’s mesmerising new film, The Skin I Live In, turns in some brilliant work again. You can find an example of the score here. The choice of shooting location and costume and the intricate details present in the production design and set decoration are unquestionably the most meticulous and thorough I have seen in some time. Every object present in every frame has a purpose and wonderfully works to capture this post-war period. The grainy, washed-out sepia look of the film is also very intentional, giving the film a dark, remote and untrustworthy appearance. Everything feels murky and seems to be enshrouded in a thin veil of fog, perfectly accompanying the core mystery. The characters are very often confined in tight quarters and one particular room (with an interior comprised of gold-coloured wall padding) is especially interesting.

The way that images seem to melt into one another and continue to tell a story, despite the often near-absence of dialogue, is a tribute to the visionary craft of Alfredson and his editing team. While the camera does linger on the characters at times (and one notable example is the extreme close-up of Smiley as he recounts his partnership with Karla, a shady agent) most of the shots are quite short in length, shifting between the characters as they exchange, capturing only their most important activities and effectively utilizing dialogue as a voice-over to accompany the images. There is not a moment wasted here – and for such a complex web of tales, which had previously been adapted into a miniseries, it is impressively concise (at just over two hours). 

The only criticism I have is with the conclusion, which instead of being a satisfying reveal possessing the punch that the meticulous build-up has warranted, it is a blink-and-you’ll miss it reveal that is subtly inserted into a montage. For a film that is so methodical, reserved, and patient, it really could have had a few more moments that lifted the adrenalin. It is all resolved a little too quickly, leaving less of an impact than I expected. Smiley is such a compelling character, and the mystery so rich, that it remains engrossing, despite lacking 'action'. After all, it’s not an action-driven piece, but a character-driven one – and on this level it is more than satisfying, especially considering the strength of the performances. Looking through the entire ensemble cast, none of them are less than outstanding.

At the fore you have Gary Oldman – but Cumberbatch, Hardy, Strong, Hurt, Firth and Jones are all excellent. Each of the characters has varying levels of screen time. with a proportion of the film devoted specifically to each. Many felt like this was Gary Oldman’s year, but disappointingly, he has fallen out of Oscar contention. Though he is the lead, and what he manages to convey (world weariness, but extreme intelligence and a mechanical dedication to his job) purely through his face is extraordinary, he is the head of the ensemble. Even though he doesn't speak until well into the film (though so much is conveyed purely through his actions - rather than swatting a fly away with disgust, he calmly rolls down the window and sets it free) he remains captivating. For Oldman, an actor usually asked to conjure his 'great rage', this is remarkably constrained performance. 

Tom Hardy was astounding in Warrior and his ability to utilize subtle tics to suggest a shift between nervousness, paranoia, sadness and anger within the same sequence, is stunning. Benedict Cumberbatch (War Horse) has received a lot of acclaim for his work in Sherlock, but I am yet to be impressed with him before this film. He is fantastic. John Hurt (The Proposition) makes a lot of appearances in films, mostly providing voice-over, but he was perfectly cast here as ‘Control’, while Colin Firth (here playing a slimy and pompous womaniser) and Mark Strong (not a villain for once) were effectively against type.

There are plenty of reasons why this intelligent, sophisticated thriller is a must-see. If you're in the right frame of mind (not tired, and with a clear head) this a most rewarding cinematic event. If you're not, well, don't say I didn't warn you. January is always such a great month for film. Following up The Descendants, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Hugo and The Muppets (which are all well worth checking out), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy won't be receiving quite the same Oscar attention (though it has just been nominated for eleven BAFTAS, and I hope the Academy recognise it for Adapted Screenplay and Art Direction at least), but it is a mighty triumph nonetheless.

My Rating: ★★★★1/2 (A-)