Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

[foleyartist]

If you haven't read the novel but are intrigued, wait for it on DVD (although it wouldn't surprise me if they released it on VHS).

The film is too slow.... Yawn.

[McG]

If you haven't read the novel but are intrigued, wait for it on DVD (although it wouldn't surprise me if they released it on VHS).

The film is too slow.... Yawn.

Love the VHS !

what about Betamax?

[havingascreen]

If you haven't read the novel but are intrigued, wait for it on DVD (although it wouldn't surprise me if they released it on VHS).

The film is too slow.... Yawn.

Totally agree, didn't deserve the 4 stars it got publicity wise. Watchers really need to have either read the book or have good knowledge of the cold war era to get all the references and allusions.

My movie partner actually had a nap during.

3/10

[hdaniel82]

Found this hard to follow, although well acted. Got confused with all the names and characters!
6/10

[cliveas]

I FINALLY saw this at Stratford City on Sunday, using a voucher.

It is pretty much impossible for me to be objective about this film having read the book and seen the TV series, both more than once.

Did it live up to one of the best spy stories ever, well of course it didn’t – but it would have been exceptional if it could have captured that in the time allowed.

However as far as I could tell (with the familiarity with the story) it seemed to stand up as a film in it’s own right, but unfortunately without the suspense. Where were the things that pointed to each of the suspects as the traitor? Also the key relationships in the story were not explored e.g. the father/son type relationship of Smiley & Guillam. You got none of the affection of GS for PG or the respect of PG for GS. It wasn’t shown at all why Guillam would risk his career and prison simply because Smiley asked him to. But perhaps that was why they turned Guillam gay with an older lover? Were we supposed to think that he had a ‘thing’ for him?

It’s also confusing when scenes are kept in the film but played out by different characters at a different stage of the story. I also thought that the Ricky Tarr part of the story was unfortunately rather confused, although quite a bit was always going to be have to be cut.

The final scene was also a disappointment. Why were all the other characters removed? Their reactions were key.

The acting was of course good. John Hurt in particular was excellent. Gary Oldman was also good, but he wasn’t Sir Alec Guinness (but then who is?), similarly Kathy Burke was good but not Beryl Reid. I thought David Dencik was a real disappointment as Toby, although he didn’t seem to be given a chance to bring the character to life and it wasn’t helped by the fact that Bernard Hepton was quite superb in the TV series. In one very strange piece of casting/direction though, Ciarán Hinds made Roy Bland completely unrecognisable.

Overall I thought it was classy and stylish but somewhere along the way it seemed to have lost the soul of the story.

[elski]

#MoetBIFA Award for Best Technical Achievement goes to Maria Djurkovic for Production Design on Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

[stuartboy]

Beige.

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

I'll have to agree with HDaniels, I also got lost with all the names spat out everywhere. The scene I saw at the Empire Big Screen involving Cumberbatch's infiltration turned out to be the most suspenseful scene in the film, so that kind of diminished the experience for me. The rest was basically a detective story for which I couldnt follow any of the clues. I also couldnt understand anyone's motivation, the ending and what the hell do these old people really get up to. So perhaps I am not intelligent enough for this film? I also wanted more character work and more on the suspects but most of them got very little screen time and when they do they were mostly subdued. Gary Oldman's performance is so understated, I was wondering if he was just hanging around on set waiting for his cue to act. But I still enjoy watching him, he is one of the greatest craftsmen on screen today. I do loved the whole murky London 70s setting, the mood and its slow deliberation.

Somehow, I regret watching this and not seeing the original Alec Guiness series especially after reading Cliveas above review. There were moments in this film where I thought I detect some channelling of Guiness from Oldman, not sure if it was deliberate or not but I liked it.

I will give this 6.5/10 but I think rather than give this a second viewing I'll just put the Alec Guiness version on my Lovefilm queue instead :)

[prettyxcool]

Finally saw this tonight at Shitsbury Avenue, which was packed. Screen 7 must be one of the better screens. I sat on the back row and had a great view and the seats were really comfy. Lots of latecomers though and got in the way of some subtitles in the film, obviously did not know the rule of free previews, that they do not have trailers?

Anyway, a slow moving film, no car chases, thrills and spills, glamour or gadgets, but an intriguing espionage film in seedy London, which engrosses and absorbs you. Strong and flawless performances from a really great British cast, lovely to see Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch and Colin Firth again. Lots of beautiful and lingering shots, that builds up the tension and suspense, and some shocking and cruel scenes. I enjoyed this more than I expected. An intelligent film and one that certainly makes you use you brain and concentrate! I think I have grown up! 7/10

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Finally saw this tonight at Shitsbury Avenue, which was packed. Screen 7 must be one of the better screens. I sat on the back row and had a great view and the seats were really comfy. Lots of latecomers though and got in the way of some subtitles in the film, obviously did not know the rule of free previews, that they do not have trailers?

Anyway, a slow moving film, no car chases, thrills and spills, glamour or gadgets, but an intriguing espionage film in seedy London, which engrosses and absorbs you. Strong and flawless performances from a really great British cast, lovely to see Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch and Colin Firth again. Lots of beautiful and lingering shots, that builds up the tension and suspense, and some shocking and cruel scenes. I enjoyed this more than I expected. An intelligent film and one that certainly makes you use you brain and concentrate! I think I have grown up! 7/10

Those latecomers may have been normal cineworld ticket purchasers and so expected the usual 20min trailer as these screenings are on the normal cineworld listing, I got in with my unlimited pass myself. I saw it at wandsworth and there were also a lot more late comers than usual for a preview screening. but they did interrupt my focus on the film so can i blame them for not following the story, that way I dont look so stupid, lol.