Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011): United Kingdom/France/Germany – directed by Tomas Alfredson

Rated R by the MPAA – contains some violence, a little language, fleeting nudity, some mature themes

The first third of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is enthralling, almost mesmerizing. It is gorgeously directed, beautifully filled with hazy smoke and dust, as if the period costumes were indeed 35 years old and emanating mustiness. The puzzle is confusing, and the pieces slowly become clear. It is a bit disappointing, then, that the film has trouble maintaining such an atmosphere, as the film continues and the pieces come almost all the way together. However, despite not finishing as strongly as it starts, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is still highly immersive, enjoyable, and beautiful.

The story concerns the “Circus,” or MI6, the British intelligence agency. It is the height of the Cold War, in the early 1970′s. The upper ranks of MI6 seem to have a bit of a problem on their hands. At the outset, the head of the agency, Control (John Hurt), sends an agent to Hungary in an attempt to uncover a mole placed at the head of the British agency. The mission goes awry, and a year later Control finds himself forced out of MI6, along with his second-in-command, George Smiley (Gary Oldman).

But then the ministry gets another message warning of a mole, and Smiley is brought back in to figure out who at the top of the Circus is a Soviet agent. Is it Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), or Roy Bland (Ciarán Hinds)? Or maybe Bill Haydon (Colin Firth) or Toby Esterhase (David Dencik)? Smiley takes young Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) along as an aide, and together they start to spy on MI6 itself.

There is much more to the story than what meets the eye, however. There are subplots involving the Americans and their desire to share whatever might be useful of British intelligence. There is informant Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy), an ex-agent who may or may not have switched sides, but has useful information in either case. There is a lovely Russian agent, Irina (Svetlana Khodchenkova), who may prove useful; or not. There are old acquaintances from the Circus that Smiley interviews, who seem to have been let go in an attempt to cover someone’s tracks. And there is Smiley’s wife, who perhaps is not even seen on screen, but seems to be involved with someone or something.

The plot is dense, and it is essential that one pay close attention throughout. Even remaining alert and attentive, I feel that I only caught about three quarters of the story. The reveal, toward the end of the film, is treated in an almost commonplace fashion, proving that Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is indeed not a traditional spy movie. Moviegoers most interested in story might be turned off by the complexity and unconventional unfolding of the narrative. I was perhaps hoping for a little more, though I did enjoy just about every other element of the film.

Few films this year have featured as strong acting as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Part of it boils down to costuming, period detail, etc., and a great deal is owed to the direction and editing, which allow the camera to hold on faces for large amounts of time. The camerawork is gorgeous, allowing the nooks and crannies of the wizened spies to fill the screen, as smoke and dust obscure, preventing clarity. Oldman is sublime as the subtle, understated Smiley. He rarely speaks, and always knows what he’s going to say when he does. Firth, Hinds, Dencik and Jones are likewise superb, though Hinds has, unfortunately, little to do through much of the film. Cumberbatch is also superb, particularly as the stress of spying on one’s own begins to break him. Hardy is perfectly cast for his thuggish role, yet he brings a softness and sympathy to the character. Also excellent is Mark Strong as Jim Prideaux, an old agent with connections to MI6.

The direction, from Tomas Alfredson (best known for Let the Right One In), is some of the best of the year. Not much happens, but it happens so moodily, so atmospherically that I was drawn in and engaged with nearly every line uttered or look cast about. The camera moves very slowly, deliberately, and lingers on faces, or follows people deliberately walking about their business. At times there is a great deal of suspense, though some might complain that there is hardly a payoff at the end. Perhaps this is the point, and I’m sure the filmmakers were aware of their creative decisions. The film is more interested in focusing on its characters and its style than its story.

The lives of these spies is occasionally examined, and the film excels when it opens up their inner thoughts. It never seems to delve too deeply, though, and at times characters’ motivations are unclear, and their inner demons seemingly obscured by smoke and dust. Smiley, who serves as closely as possibly as the protagonist, is also analyzed most deeply. His existence in the agency has been difficult, and the constant paranoia has left its mark. In many ways the threat of being called a double agent, and branded thusly, is similar to the branding of mental illness as depicted in films like The Snake Pit [review here]. But in this case, those doing the branding are just as suspect as the alleged double agent, whereas a doctor is never accused of being insane.

In some ways Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy recalls The American [review here], a film so obviously European. Less concerned with plot, climax, and more with atmosphere, mood, character. Just like The American might infuriate some viewers with its lack of climax and clarity, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy might infuriate those hoping for an easily solvable murder mystery. And while it at times disappointed me by not offering a bit more clarity to the mystery, or attaching more importance to the climax, I was often thrilled with the journey, sucked into the atmosphere and relishing the incredible direction and acting.