Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Giant 70’s glasses have never looked as cool as they do in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Taking place in the appropriate decade for those glasses, the story is about a retired British intelligence agent (Gary Oldman) who is hired to find a well-placed mole inside MI6. With an impressive collection of British actors starring in the film, there was little doubt about the integrity of the project and the quality of the script. In addition to Oldman’s strong showing, it’s hard to pick out which of the support was strongest. From Colin Firth and Toby Jones to Mark Strong, the star power is impressively balanced, with all characters developing well. Benedict Cumberbatch also deserves mentioning as his name is growing in popularity after a string of impressive roles.

Tinker has the strong sense of classic espionage thrillers. There is no need for fast-paced chase scenes because the tension is already there. All the characters have a seedy sense to them that gives credit to how authentic the film comes across. Even when Oldman’s character goes for the first twenty minutes or so without a line, there is a strong sense of personality and a look into how the job impacts people. Thumbing through files and research has never been so intriguing.

After being introduced by an extremely compelling trailer, there is a case of misleading identity with Tinker. This is not a James Bond film. It takes a while to understand the twists and turns, and there is even the potential that some will need a second viewing in order to be followed. But for those willing to put in the work, this view into realistic, character driven espionage is a rewarding experience. I will now come up with cool code names for all of my friends. But I’m thinking they’ll probably end up sounding more like Transformers than MI6 agents. (9.3 out of 10)