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Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011)
*may contain spoilers*
This was easily one of the best films I've seen for a long time. If this doesn't win all the awards going I will be... well, not surprised, honestly, but I think it's a serious contender and deserving of recognition. I haven't read the book by John Le Carre, nor have I seen the television series with Alec Guiness; in fact I knew very little about it before watching it and I think I enjoyed it all the more for that.
Gary Oldman gives a masterly, understated performance as Geroge Smiley, brought out of retirement to discover the identity of a mole among the top brass of MI6.
It was at times difficult to grasp what was going on, who knew what, who had betrayed whom... but I think that was the point. It was as much about atmosphere as it was about plot and it took my breath away. Slowly. Because this film is not a fast-paced action thriller of the Bond/Bourne variety and all the better for it. I like a good action flick as much as the next girl, but this is a different breed of film altogether, brooding and complex but not without moments of humour and unexpectedly touching, but understated, emotional scenes. The scene towards the end with Colin Firth and Mark Strong... well, I won't spoil it, but it was powerful stuff.
Directed by Tomas Alfredson, who directed the excellent Let the Right One In, the film looks fantastic, steeped in period detail with a gloomy brown palette. The acting from the supporting cast, including Benedict Cumberbatch, John Hurt and Colin Firth is top-notch. The weakest link, for me, was Tom Hardy's slightly more Bond-like subplot featuring a Russian blonde. Perhaps it was just his dodgy haircut, but it didn't quite convince.
There were three shocking moments in this, two of which featured the violent deaths of women (and the other the violent death of a pigeon) which left a bad taste in the mouth but those were the only wrong notes, for me.
I really can't recommend it highly enough.
*may contain spoilers*
This was easily one of the best films I've seen for a long time. If this doesn't win all the awards going I will be... well, not surprised, honestly, but I think it's a serious contender and deserving of recognition. I haven't read the book by John Le Carre, nor have I seen the television series with Alec Guiness; in fact I knew very little about it before watching it and I think I enjoyed it all the more for that.
Gary Oldman gives a masterly, understated performance as Geroge Smiley, brought out of retirement to discover the identity of a mole among the top brass of MI6.
It was at times difficult to grasp what was going on, who knew what, who had betrayed whom... but I think that was the point. It was as much about atmosphere as it was about plot and it took my breath away. Slowly. Because this film is not a fast-paced action thriller of the Bond/Bourne variety and all the better for it. I like a good action flick as much as the next girl, but this is a different breed of film altogether, brooding and complex but not without moments of humour and unexpectedly touching, but understated, emotional scenes. The scene towards the end with Colin Firth and Mark Strong... well, I won't spoil it, but it was powerful stuff.
Directed by Tomas Alfredson, who directed the excellent Let the Right One In, the film looks fantastic, steeped in period detail with a gloomy brown palette. The acting from the supporting cast, including Benedict Cumberbatch, John Hurt and Colin Firth is top-notch. The weakest link, for me, was Tom Hardy's slightly more Bond-like subplot featuring a Russian blonde. Perhaps it was just his dodgy haircut, but it didn't quite convince.
There were three shocking moments in this, two of which featured the violent deaths of women (and the other the violent death of a pigeon) which left a bad taste in the mouth but those were the only wrong notes, for me.
I really can't recommend it highly enough.