Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

R

2012

2h 7m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

229 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In the 1970s England the head of MI6, Control (John Hurt), dispatches an agent (Mark Strong) to meet with a Hungarian general who knows the identity of a Soviet spy in the organization's ranks. However, the mission goes wrong, and the general dies before he can reveal the information. Undersecretary Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney) calls veteran agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) back from forced retirement to ferret out the mole and stop the flow of vital British secrets to the Russians.

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Critics Consensus

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a dense puzzle of anxiety, paranoia, and espionage that director Tomas Alfredson pieces together with utmost skill.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

01/10/2024

Stepping into the shoes of Alec Guinness, Gary Oldman, in a performance of restrained inscrutability, captures perfectly the character of John le Carré’s seasoned spy George Smiley...

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

12/03/2021

4/5

Sublime.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

08/31/2018

So beautifully executed and so visually absorbing and so atmospherically hypnotic that I wonder this: would it have been awfully greedy to have hoped to have wholly understood it, too?

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

03/01/2023

3/4

Le Carré enthusiasts will be left wanting another hour or so of filmic flesh on this skin-and-bones telling.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/26/2022

4/5

While it’s deliberate and sometimes dry, O’Connor and Straughan’s script is tight, structured, and clearly intends to make the audience work right alongside of Smiley.

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James Croot

The Post NZ

07/14/2022

4.5/5

One of the greatest spy thrillers of the century.

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Mark M

@RT03910283 2d

I’ve seen Tinker multiple times and each time I discover a new subtlety. This film features an all-star cast and is directed to perfection. The story is deep with many complexities, typical of Lecarre. While Oldman is the star, a young Tom Hardy is a scene stealer. Cumberbatch and Mark Strong are excellent. Collin Firth is flawless. Will watch again and again.

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Jaisibi S

@RT14436527 Mar 15

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a brilliant Cold War espionage thriller that relies on intelligence rather than action. The plot revolves around uncovering a Soviet mole within British intelligence, and the film slowly builds tension through careful storytelling and atmosphere. Gary Oldman delivers a fantastic performance as George Smiley, portraying the character with quiet intensity and subtle expressions rather than dramatic dialogue. The supporting cast is equally strong, with excellent performances from Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Colin Firth, and Toby Jones. The background score and soundtrack are also memorable, especially the closing song "La Mer," which beautifully captures the melancholic tone of the film. I also appreciated subtle storytelling choices like never revealing Ann’s face, which adds to the mysterious atmosphere. While the film is a slow burn and requires close attention to fully connect all the pieces, it becomes even more rewarding on a rewatch.

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Hunter H.

@HunterH88 Mar 11

Very hard to follow. Started off strong, then came a string of confusing ins and outs. A few suspenseful scenes and a great cast give it the life it needs to survive watching. 3/5

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Jalvzz ..

@jalvzz Jan 26

Definitely need to watch it again

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Contra C

@contra-costa Jan 4

A beautiful film, a beautiful realization of the novel, the cast is the absolute best of the best, everyone is brilliant

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Raymond S

@RT96793064 Oct 23

I have watched this movie 3 times now, with several years inbetween - I find it flawless. Can't wait to see it again, in 5-6 years time.

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Tomas Alfredson

Director

Gary Oldman

George Smiley

Kathy Burke

Connie Sachs

Benedict Cumberbatch

Peter Guillam

David Dencik

Toby Esterhase

Colin Firth

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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In the 1970s England the head of MI6, Control (John Hurt), dispatches an agent (Mark Strong) to meet with a Hungarian general who knows the identity of a Soviet spy in the organization's ranks. However, the mission goes wrong, and the general dies before he can reveal the information. Undersecretary Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney) calls veteran agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) back from forced retirement to ferret out the mole and stop the flow of vital British secrets to the Russians.

Director: Tomas Alfredson
Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Robyn Slovo
Screenwriter: Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: StudioCanal, Paradis Films, Working Title Films
Rating: R (Some Sexuality/Nudity|Language|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 6, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $24.1M
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital

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