Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Rarely have the various complexities of the top-secret world of international espionage been brought to the big screen with as much intelligence as in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, a consistently compelling adaptation of the acclaimed novel by John le Carre.

It is a vivid and intricate throwback to British involvement in the Cold War, when the Soviet Union was the enemy and many of the most important components of national security were handled behind the scenes.

The plot centers on a potential security breach within the Circus, which is the code name for the arm of the British Secret Service known as MI6, responsible for gathering foreign intelligence.

Specifically, the head of the Circus (John Hurt) is convinced there is a mole within his organization who is leaking secrets to the Soviets. So he enlists the help of his former deputy chief, George Smiley (Gary Oldman), who was forced into retirement but is now talked out of it to solve the mystery.

So Smiley begins tracking down current and former Circus employees, gradually narrowing the list of suspects as he increases the level of scrutiny on each one.

Swedish director Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In), working from a crafty script by Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan (The Men Who Stare at Goats), tones down the visual flourishes and keeps the sophisticated story on track through its numerous twists and turns.

It’s not breezy and lightweight entertainment that relies on explosions and chase sequences (although it has those). Rather, the film packs key details into almost every sequence and demands viewer attentiveness to keep track of its characters and story. Otherwise it might become confusing.

The cast is excellent, led by Oldman as the stoic Smiley in a poker-faced portrayal of a man who doesn’t say much. Oldman uses the lack of dialogue, body movement and facial expression to his advantage as a curious yet thoroughly convincing veteran of the spy trade. The ensemble also includes Toby Jones, Colin Firth, Ciaran Hinds and Tom Hardy.

The 1974 novel was previously adapted in 1979 into a BBC miniseries starring Alec Guinness, but the three decades that have passed since bring a new political perspective to the current version.

The emotional distance that the film keeps is intentional considering the subject matter, yet this thinking-man’s thriller has plenty of contemporary relevance.

Rated R, 127 minutes.