Australian Penthouse

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Cast: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciarán Hinds
Universal

THE makers of the film adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy had their work cut out for them from the outset. First off, the film is based on a renowned John le Carré novel from 1974 that was then faithfully adapted into a seven-part five-hour long BBC miniseries in 1979. Intimidating street cred aside, the concept of condensing the layered novel and five-hour faithful miniseries adaptation to two-hour flick would have been a challenge and a half.

And yet, for the most part, director Tomas Alfredson and writers Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan do an admirable job of capturing the essence of the core plot. Although, certain subplots and extended characterisation have had to be condensed, in some instances, to the point where particular important characters suffer from limited screen time.

Speaking of plot, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy tells the cerebral and juicy tale of a Cold War era MI6 (or “the Circus” as they call it due to its proximity to major London landmark, Piccadilly Circus) that has to deal with the harsh realities of uncovering a Soviet mole that is ranked high in the British spy agency. Unlike the original material, the Brits are actively seeking to open communication channels with American spy agencies, but are struggling to regain face after a series of unfortunate events.

Control (John Hurt) has dispatched undercover agent Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) to gather information on the identity of the MI6 mole. But after this plan backfires, Control is forced out as head of the Circus along with his top lieutenant George Smiley (Gary Oldman). When information about the mole resurfaces, Smiley is brought out of retirement to conduct a secret investigation to plug the Soviet leak.

The cast is impressive. Oldman owns his portrayal of Smiley in an eerie channelling of Sir Alec Guinness that is so spot on that it is disconcerting. Strong continues to showcase his diversity, providing heart to the drama. Hurt dominates with his more aggressive take on Control, while the supporting cast of Firth, Hardy and Cumberbatch all hit the right notes.

Impressively, the filmmakers retained many of the subtleties and pacing that made the BBC original so strong, with only minor gripes about plot conveniences  that jar next to otherwise clever composition. Our biggest complaint is the fact that some of the compelling characterisation featured in the BBC series takes a back seat for the sake of  plot advancement.

The always-strong Ciarán Hinds (as Roy Bland) is criminally underused, and the key roles of Toby Esterhase (David Dencik) and Percy Alleline (Toby Jones) are reduced to infrequent appearances. Inexplicable homosexual overtones regarding some of the characters feel tacked-on and superfluous to characterisation rather than an organic aspect of the story.

Ultimately, however, these concerns are minor by comparison to the overall achievement of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. In a world where savvy thrillers are often watered down with mindless action, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy dares to defy convention and stay true to its roots where brains and smart storytelling triumph.

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY is in cinemas January 19, 2012.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

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