TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY: Movie Review
“TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY” Rating: 3 (out of 10)
In a word: Boring.
How in the world the movie critics give this multi-star ratings is baffling. If you like movies with hundreds of close-up shots of actors with pensive expressions on their faces, or giving each other curious looks, and an endless body of confusion with scenes that seem to have no bearing on the story, then see this movie.
Often, dramas will begin at a snail’s pace, and eventually come together with a semblance of interesting suspense and then closure. In this movie, we waited and waited but the snail never gained any speed.
The premise of the story wasn’t bad. During the cold war era, networks of spy agents trying to weed out a mole in the organization, mostly based in Hungary, France and England, add a couple of gratuitous murders, and decent acting and you think you’d have a great picture. (Yawn)
The problem, it would seem, was in the directing. The talent was surely there, Gary Oldman plays the protagonist, forever thinking, pensive and troubled. Then, Colin Firth who was one of the blurry characters until late in the movie. Toby Jones and David Dencik and at least another seven or eight white males with funny names and foreign accents scramble for hazy parts in the script. One has to concentrate carefully to get any idea of what is happening and who is who and how they relate to each other.
I won’t be seeing any more pictures directed by Tomas Alfredson.
Bear in mind, this picture has been highly rated by several pundits, and if you like drawn-out, complicated suspense pictures with slow-moving plots and characters, then this is for you.
The trailer (preview) we first saw in theaters was certainly misleading.
Click here: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Trailer (Domestic Trailer) – IMDb
Dr. Marlowe
Marsh, re: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (T,T,S,S), I have viewed the original; about four times now. I am fascinated by the book & the movie. Alec Guinness is irreplaceable as “Smiley.” Ian Bannen, aka, Jim Prideaux (while not irreplaceable) is the consummate actor & from this observer’s viewpoint, the “Close – Up” shots of his face & particularly of his “NON-Hollywood” teeth is an asset to the overall compliment to/of him as well as his character. Beryl Reid, aka, Connie Sachs performs admirably but, does not submit her best works here. Hywel Bennet, aka, Ricki Tarr performed admirably as well; too bad he never progressed in his cinematic endeavor; I thought he had great potential.
Le Carre (= the word “BOX” in French) is, to my thinking, on par if not exceeding MOST other writer’s of the spy genre. His “A Small Town In Germany”….”The Little Drummer Girl”….” The Spy Who Came In From The Cold”…..and finally,”Smiley’s People” are stupendous!
Of course none of this would have been possible without two NON ACTORS: #1 Arthur Hopcraft (dramatization expert par excellence) & of course the “DIRECTION” of & by John Irvin.
It will be a while before we (the public) see the likes of this level of EXCELLENCE as a cinematic endeavor because the likes of Hopcraft & Irvin aren’t out there anymore.
Marsh, I have seen you write about your passion of going to see movies on the BIG SCREEN. I haven’t been to an “inside” movie in about 30 years I suppose. BUT, it doesn’t mean I don’t get them on DVD and/or appreciate the cinematic efforts. It just means that I have little tolerance for the folks interrupting the movie with their chatter. Perhaps I should try going back “INSIDE” again.
ANYWAY, thanks for your opinion re: T,T,S, Spy. Happy New Year.