Based on the popular British novel by John le Carre, Tomas Alfredson's Tinker Tailor Solider Spy is a unique and suspense filled espionage thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat as you anxiously anticipate the film's final reveal.
Gary Oldman does a magnificent job as George Smiley, a detective who is brought back from forced retirement to uncover the mole that is sending vital British intelligence to the Russians during the 1970s. Colin Firth, John Hurt, Toby Jones, Mark Strong and Tom Hardy round out an extraordinary cast that shows no weakness as everyone steps up the plate and delivers a stellar performance.
The film itself is intense and complex. Story lines weave within one another as audiences are taken on a wild ride, seeing the world through the eyes of Smiley as he attempts to uncover the culprit and make sense of the situation.
For fans of the best selling novel, you will likely be disappointed with the path the story takes. Granted I have never read the book myself, writer Peter Straughan admits that there were some key changes in order to make the dense book adaptable for the big screen.
The film's most riveting scene comes near the middle when one of Smiley's assistants is attempting to confiscate a set of documents. The scene doesn't feature a single shot, but I found myself holding my breath as I anxiously awaited a verdict to his success. It is this style of filmmaking that makes Tomas Alfredson's film a must-see affair. Missing out would be nothing short of a crime!
