Amazing acting, beautiful soundtrack and slowly gripping story. One of the best movies of 2011.
Director: Tomas Alfredson | Stars: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy
Budget: 21 million | Box office: 80 million
I really wanted this movie to be good, exceptionally good. Somehow out of numerous last year’s films very few left some unforgettable impression, this hard to describe feeling that stays with you after a really great movie. And for me Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was just like that.
I am not a really big fan of detective stories, which in essence Tinker Tailor is, but I usually like spy movies, especially Cold war era, like The Good Shepherd. I haven’t read John le Carré novel or seen the earlier adaptations, so I was watching the movie from a clean sheet. The story, especially at the beginning evolves so slow that it might be a set-back for some more impatient people, but I loved every moment of it. It’s amazing how director adjusts his style from cold horror of Let the Right One In to such different story. As with vampires, here you have all the time needed to listen for the dialogue, view the setting and most important, watch the emotions.
The emotions were the most impressive and unforgettable thing about Tinker Tailor. I would definitely give Gary Oldman not only nomination, but an Oscar. His character, George Smiley, retired M6 agent given a task to find a traitor amongst the highest agency officers, is so complicated, his emotions are so suppressed and yet totally believable. Again you grow slowly with the character, discovering bit by bit about him and you are rewarded with incredible dialogues and monologues. I was always a big fan of Gary Oldman, especially his roles in Sid and Nancy, Leon, Dracula, True Romance, so seeing him here is really a delight. Other favorite actors such as Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt and Mark Strong play their parts masterfully too.
Another great thing, rightly honored in the Oscars, is a soundtrack. Created by Pedro Almodovar collaborator Roberto Iglesias, here it works a bit strange and sometimes provides unexpected moods. But the most impressive moments are created not by him: one is a skillfully used great reminder of Soviet Union, another is a contradictory lighthearted Julio Iglesias song for finale.
Just before the film ending I was still having doubts whether it will join my all time favorites list, but the last scenes were just incredible. Every little detail comes together and all the suppressed emotions are released in an unforgettable final. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy will really be the movie by which I’ll remember 2011.
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