Tinker Taylor Gary Oldman

I once tried to read a Le Carré novel when I was still in middle school and am pretty sure I didn’t make it through the first two chapters before thinking “WTF is going on? This book is confusing and boring. I’m going to read Dune instead.” So it was with trepidation that I saw Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The plot seems basic enough. It is the 1970’s, the heart of the Cold War, and there is a mole in British Intelligence. The only person who can sniff him out is retired intelligence officer, George Smiley (Gary Oldman).However, this is no Tom Clancy movie; this is a John Le Carré film, meaning nothing is explained or straight forward. For example, what exactly does MI:6 stand for? Is there MI:1 through 5?

But, I was pleasantly surprised by Tinker Tailor; I was able to follow it enough to mostly understand the plot; yet it was still complicated enough to make me feel like I had graduated the eighth grade. I could see the director’s effort to make this film be accessible. For example, in a scene at the beginning of the film, Smiley goes to the optometrist to replace his non-ironic brown plastic framed glasses with a new pair of non-ironic black plastic framed glasses. It’s part of a small montage demonstrating the odd quiet of a day of Smileys new retired life. However it also provides a tool for the audience to determine what parts are flashbacks and what is taking place in present day. And believe me, you will need to know that difference because I was only able to mostly follow the plot. (I seriously thought a character’s actual name was Control.)The rest I got from discussing the film with people afterwards.

Visually, the movie had an interesting style. It has a color scheme that reminded me of my grandmother’s living room, almost entirely made up of various shades of brown and orange. (As well as wall too much shag carpet.) Also, the film quality was a little gritty, like it was actually filmed in the 1970’s, but that may have been me getting too used to digital movies.

As for the acting, it was what you would expect from a film withJohn Hurt and Colin Firth as supporting characters: a bunch of wonderful British actors acting wonderfully in their Britshness. Also, an actor named Benedict Cumberbatch was in it, who takes the prize for having the most British name, ever. I need to note, Gary Oldman, really lives up to his surname in this film. Although he’s only 52, the man’s acting in Tinker Tailor makes me feel weird for fantasizing about Sirius Black.

So, do I recommend this film? Yes, I would. However, don’t watch while drunk, doing something, at a party and on broadcast television. I would also recommend watching it with a friend so you can fill each other in plotwise. I understand that may exclude about 85% of modern movie watching instances, but for the other 5% of the time, go see it.

(The missing 10% is airplane cinema, which doesn’t count, ever.)