Rent Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011)

Alec Guinness is George Smiley - Gary Oldman is an imposter :) - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy review by RP

Regrettably, this is a film which suffers badly in comparison to the 1979 BBC TV production. Having enjoyed the book and the TV series I was looking forward to the film, particularly after its glowing reviews from the critics. Well, I was disappointed. Knowing the material I wasn't expecting an action/adventure tale, but what is a complex tale has been so condensed as to make the story not only slow moving but incomprehensible unless you have read the book. Despite excellent acting, the missing back story makes the plot hard to follow.

Before writing this review I re-watched the BBC TV series with Alec Guinness in the lead role just to make sure that I wasn't misremembering how good it was. Yes, that one is slow moving too, but it is so atmospheric that it draws the viewer in to see how the story unfolds – and it makes Gary Oldman look out of place as George Smiley, a role which (despite others playing the character over the years) Alec Guinness made his own.

The TV series also has the luxury of being over 5 hours long, giving plenty of time to set out the complex story, the complex characters and the complex background. The film is also long at over 2 hours – and it feels it, whereas the TV series becomes all-enveloping and the viewer becomes immersed in the story.

Sorry, but I can only give this one 3/5 stars – and if it hadn't been for Gary Oldman's performance it would have been 2/5.

Unremarkable - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy review by CP Customer

I have not seen the Alec Guinness version or read the book, so I was coming to this "fresh" so to speak. I had expected more with the film being so heavily awarded and nominated for awards. Despite squeezing a long and intricate story into 2 hours, there were still times when it really dragged (I remember some bits which were just an excuse to play a whole song, to link it in to the era). Gary Oldman did well with what he had, but I don't remember any aspects of what he did that made me think "gosh he's acting this well". A host of british acting talent, all wasted as far as I could see.

Excellent Espionage Drama - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy review by GI

Adapting the complex spy novel by John Le Carré and turning it into a two hour film was no mean feat. Along with adept direction, a remarkable recreation of the grimy London of the early 1970s and a topnotch cast and you have a really clever, intelligent and realistic espionage film. This is no James Bond film this is a thriller that takes its story straight from the experiences of real agents in the British Secret Service. A twist and turn plot that requires careful watching and what you have is really very gripping. If you are expecting an action film you will be disappointed because, despite some very gruesome murders, this is a drama that concerns itself with mystery and a convoluted plot to unmask a double agent. When an unsanctioned mission goes wrong in Hungary the Head of MI6 (John Hurt) is forced to retire along with his No2 George Smiley (Gary Oldman). But the mission was an attempt to uncover a traitor, believed to be one of five department heads running the Secret Service. Smiley is bought back in secret by the Government to investigate whether there is any truth to the suspicions. Oldman is magnificent here receiving both Oscar and BAFTA nominations for best actor; and with the addition of Hurt, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Kathy Bates and Ciarán Hinds the cast is faultless. The director drops tiny hints throughout the film as the plot goes deeper into trying to identify who is the traitor, and even when you know the ending this remains a riveting drama. Not only is the book on which this is based excellent but this is one of the best films about the real world of spies that's been made in a very long while. If you haven't seen this then it's a must see.