This film is so unlike anything I've seen Hollywood churn out recently that I was genuinely staggered. You have to concentrate. Hard. For the entire film. Alfredson gives you no easy routes, and you find yourself crossing your eyes in frustration. Is this a flashback? Is this guy dead? What's happening here? And yet despite how much effort you have to put in, the atmospheric approach makes it seem worth it. A malevolent, dreary London; a secret service turned corrupt bureaucracy. There are no James Bonds here, no glamour. Just paranoia, creeping cynicism, overwhelming nostalgia. Oldman's turn as Smiley is note perfect. Betrayed personally and professionally, doggedly pursuing the truth.

Go in with your thinking hat on. It's worth it.

there are no more morals left to be eroded, no more heroes, just a bunch of weary sociopaths looking for any kind of aesthetic pleasure in a labyrinth of confusion and carnage

I’m sick and my brain couldn’t keep up

The top notch acting is what keeps this spy thriller so compelling for the entirety of the runtime. Gary Oldman being the leader amongst them, but everyone else is so good. It makes me wish that Tomas Alfredsson had actually gotten to finish The Snowman, because this film shows how well he can handle a slow burn thriller. 

Ultimately, it’s probably a better book. The Cold War is an optimal setting for this type of story because good and bad are truly just conceptual rather than strictly outlined. The ending doesn’t exactly give the rest of the film justice, but I still enjoyed the majority of the experience watching this movie. 

73/100

Unromantic glimpse of the British spy trade circa 1965. Very earthy and grounded and John Le Carre's famous agent George Smiley played by Gary Oldman gives a much more realistic view of Cold War cloak and dagger than James Bond or Jason Bourne. The fallout is that there are a perceptible lack of thrills and events are very slow to develop. Plaudits for a director who demands a sharply attentive audience, and while this movie treatment gives some insight into the spy world I feel the book would do greater justice to the plot and character motivations.

I take immense pride in being the guy who was able to explain what was going on to everyone when we'd pause the movie every 20 minutes or so because everyone was lost. If reincarnation is a thing I would like to be reincarnated as Gary Oldman's glasses in this movie please and thank you.

Decent movie. Nothing special in my mind but I Gary oldman is always spectacular.

beginning: yes. middle: i have negative 12 clues about what's going on. end: cool shot bro.

Can a film be boring but also really good?

Over 2 hours and it still feels like half of the movie is missing, which given that the BBC miniseries is apparently 5 hours long might actually be true. But at least we have proof that Tom Hardy has always been amazing

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a dense novel to try and fit into 2 hours, but Peter Straughan has managed to capture the essence perfectly. This, combined with elegant direction from Tomas Alfredson, has produced a beautiful film, both visually and thematically, and one that is full of exceptional yet understated performances. 

If you haven’t read the novel then you’ll need to watch this more than once. Luckily, it is a film that rewards multiple viewings and I would wholeheartedly recommend exactly that.