60 Second Movie Review: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011)
January 13, 2012 9 Comments
The 2011 film of John Le Carré’s 1974 espionage novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy reminds us that there was terrorism before our current global state of affairs, and that governments were clearly involved, in a way we used to recognize.
It’s a slow-moving film with a plot that is sometimes tricky to follow, and I loved it. The pace is never actually boring — the intent is not to dazzle you à la Matt Damon’s excellent Bourne Identity films, and the purpose is not to give you a neatly wrapped puzzle that makes you feel smart because you can follow along. What it gave me was a sense of fascinated disorientation, of the kind I might have felt if involved in the events myself.
The looks were also fun for me. Who has the audacity these days to give you a leading man who looks like this?
I don’t think I’ve seen Gary Oldman since his 1992 turn in Dracula, and this was mighty different. Quiet, unassuming, and ordinary, his George Smiley reminds us that the people holding these jobs were indeed people. His ordinariness doesn’t signify that he’s in over his head, as you trust his competence throughout, but instead adds a solidity to the character.
It was also nostalgic for me in that I have vague recollections of being in England as a little boy on a trip in the 1970s, and it looking very much like what this film portrays — the fashion, the colors, the telephone booths. It’s definitely another era. Technology is still important — look, there’s a telex machine! — but you can just slap your briefcase down on the desk because there’s no computer monitor in the way.
I felt that the film delivered, so if it seems like the kind of movie you might enjoy, you will, know what I mean?
And here’s the trailer:
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About Matthew
With so much information being thrown at us, I wish that there was much more time for all of it to just sink in but I liked the fact that the film made you pay attention to every little detail as this story just kept building and building. Everybody here in this cast is great too, especially Oldman who perfectly brings this flick together. Good review Matthew. Check out mine when you get the chance.
For anyone interested in Dan the Man’s eloquent and engaging assessment of Tinker, Tailor (etc.), it’s over here.
Interesting review. I’ll have to see if I can add this to my Netflix queue
I’ll be curious to hear what you think of it. Feel free to blame me if I’ve steered you wrong!
Will let you know.. I sounds like you aren’t though. I myself like a story with depth and don’t mind if it takes a while to develop as long as the payoff is worth it. One of the reasons I love Mad Men, Breaking Bad and Good Wife
Yes, that’s one of the reasons I adore Mad Men, precisely because it feels free to move slowly, and yet it is never boring. I’ve heard great things about the Good Wife, as well, and I just started Breaking Bad…just a little late to the game.
Same here with Breaking Bad. I finished Season 3 on Netflix only recently before going into an Anime kick. Debating if I should wait for Season 4 to hit Netflix or find other viewing options. I usually wait it out but the last season I saw ended with such a cliffhanger (small confession I did already see the first episode of season 4 to quash the cliffhanger anxiety I was left with).
I wholehearted recommend the Good Wife. It is well casted and the writing is pretty impeccable. It isn’t a typical lawyer show. It does delve into the politics of Illinois as well as what goes on with the legal system. They also throw in the emotional drama for our guilty pleasures.
There’s not enough time!
LOL.. I realize now that this is a new release after rereading your piece. I saw 1974 and automatically assumed that it was old (And I was amazed to “discover” that Gary Oldman had been doing films for that long and still looked the same LOL). Definitely interesting enough to get me into the theatres (something I rarely do nowadays).