Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: "I Know That Moscow Has Planted A Mole, And I Know It Is One Of Five Men"

Director:  Thomas Alfredson

Writer:     Bridget O'Conner

                Peter Straughan

Starring:  Gary Oldman
                Benedict Cumberbatch

                Colin Firth

                Tom Hardy

                John Hurt

                Toby Jones

                Mark Strong

                Ciaran Hinds

                Roger Lloyd-Pack

                David Dencik 

                Kathy Burke

Rating:    *****

Release Date: 16/09/11

Quite possibly one of the most gripping and best made British films I have seen in years.

George Smiley (Oldman) is a retired British Intelligence Office who comes out of retirement to uncover a Russian double agent. Just before he retired a fellow Officer, Jim Pradeux (Strong), also tried to do the same but was shot on the mission, so doing this is very dangerous for Smiley, and he knows it. Before going any further I just want to say how amazing Gary Oldman is, every word her uttered and each line he spoke was so phenomenal and riveting that it had me glued throughout. His performance is so subtle but at the same time so exciting, and it is the best performance of an actor this year *Academy Award*. Even if this isn't your type of film, watch it purely to see him because it is worth it. Also Control (Hurt) was a brilliant and well rounded character, and the two actors together were just pure magic.

Throughout the film he receives help from various current and ex colleagues. Peter Guillam (Cumberbatch) is his second in command throughout, Bill Haydon (Firth) the Deputy, Ricki Tarr (Hardy) is one of Guillam's men. Also he receives advice and help from Percy Alleline, Roy Bland, Toby Esterhase, Mendel and Connie Sachs (Jones, Hinds, Dencik, Lloyd-Pack & Burke), but of course he is never sure who to trust, and he never knows what he can and can't say. The stand outs for me were Cumberbatch and Firth, Cumberbatch was just brilliant in the role, and for his first big movie role he really came into his own and stood up against the terrific cast superbly. Firth is just amazing, not much else to say there, if you have seen his past work then you know. Also I love Kathy Burke, her minimal scenes were always sweet and allowed for some comic relief.

The writing was absolutely fantastic, and I am sure that John Le Carre (the original novels author) was extremely proud. The directing was exciting and dramatic, and really captured the magic of each performance, but also the entire setting. As I have already said the cast were outstanding, it is rare to get a cast as excellent as this together at once, but it just shows that when you do only magical things will happen. There isn't much else for me to say apart from I absolutely loved it. It is out now and I highly recommend you go and see it for yourselves, and then you can really appreciate what everybody has already been saying about Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Trailer