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When Swedish director Tomas Alfredson released his eerie vampire thriller, Let the Right One In, a few years ago, Hollywood took notice. Critics raved, and audiences were stunned—so, of course, it was only a matter of time before he was signed on for a major Hollywood production. And, fortunately (unlike German director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s fluffy 2010 release, The Tourist), his Hollywood debut, spy thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, generally lives up to expectations.
After a mission in Budapest goes horribly wrong, British Intelligence head Control (John Hurt) is forced into retirement, along with his right-hand man, George Smiley (Gary Oldman). But it’s not long before rogue agent Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy) informs a high-ranking government official of a Russian mole within British Intelligence, and Smiley is called out of retirement to investigate.
Control suspected that the Russians had placed their mole at the very top, which means that it’s one of just four men: Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), Roy Bland (Ciarán Hinds), Toby Esterhase (David Dencik), or the opportunistic new leader, Percy Alleline (Toby Jones). So, with inside help from young agent Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch), Smiley hunts for clues that will lead him to the mole.
These days, audiences expect quick cuts, high-speed chases, and shaky footage from their spy thrillers. They expect an athletic Jason Bourne or a new-and-improved, hard-hitting James Bond—or even a slick Ethan Hunt. They expect non-stop action and adventure and danger. But that’s not exactly the life of a real agent—and that’s not what they’ll get from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Alfredson’s adaptation of the 1974 spy thriller by author John le Carré.
More thoughtful drama than break-neck thriller, more chess game than video game, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy follows Smiley’s detailed investigation, exploring the story through frequent flashbacks—which can, at times, be somewhat confusing. The story is like a collection of scattered puzzle pieces—not necessary fitting in the right place at the right time but gradually coming together to show the big picture.
Oldman’s Smiley, meanwhile, certainly isn’t the typical Hollywood spy. Instead of racing around the globe to chase after bad guys, he conducts most of his investigation from his base in a messy hotel room—or from the inside of Guillam’s car. Yet, despite his slower, more low-key approach to spy work, Smiley is still an intriguing hero. Oldman gives him the kind of precise, exacting manner that you’d expect from a man who’s spent his life analyzing the world around him—every move is calculated and deliberate. At the same time, though, he also has one important weakness—one that his enemy is able to exploit.
The other characters, however, aren’t as well developed. Tom Hardy gives a noteworthy performance as the anxious rogue agent—but, aside from the power-hungry Percy Alleline (who gets the slighted bit of development), the suspects feel like little more than shadows. Each one seems suspicious in his own way—as is often the case in spy thrillers—but none have much personality. So when the mole’s identity is finally uncovered, the revelation isn’t as astonishing as it would have been had the culprit been someone you’d truly gotten to know.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy isn’t a brainless action movie. In fact, there’s so much going on that you’ll find yourself pondering the story’s subtleties long after the credits roll, trying to work through Smiley’s thought process and put the plethora of pieces together. You might even need to go back and watch it again (and again) to figure it all out. The level of complexity makes the film just slightly maddening—but, with its twisting plot and uncommon hero, it’s a sly and stylish thinking person’s thriller.
Blu-ray Review:
The complex story may be frustrating at times, but the real draw of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is its remarkable cast and crew. And, just as it should, the film’s Blu-ray release focuses on the people who brought the story to the big screen.
Fans of the film’s cast will want to check out the Interviews section, which features short (and, admittedly, often dry) interviews with cast and crew members like Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and director Tomas Alfredson with co-writer Peter Straughan. Perhaps the most entertaining is the brief interview with Tom Hardy, who’s definitely the most animated and outspoken of the bunch. The most interesting interview, however, is the 30-minute interview with author John le Carré, who gives context to the film’s story while discussing his own experiences while working for British Intelligence.
Another noteworthy feature is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: First Look, a 13-minute introduction to the film, with some plot overview, a look at the director and his cast, and a few insights from le Carré. It may not be a particularly detailed making-of feature, but it covers all of the important bases, making it an excellent teaser.
Other extras include a sleepy and rather awkward commentary with Alfredson and Oldman and a handful of deleted scenes. Though these scenes were clearly cut for a reason (and some are really too short to matter), the collection does include a surprisingly captivating, dialogue-free scene involving Oldman’s Smiley frying an egg in his kitchen.
Sadly, the special features on the Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy won’t really give you a better handle on the film’s complicated plot. They will, however, offer everything from a look at the spectacular cast to a peek inside the real-life world of spies with a former agent. So, while you’re attempting to decompress after watching this stylish spy thriller, be sure to take a few minutes to watch some of the extras.
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