Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Name: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Genre: Thriller
Released: December 9, 2011
Duration: 127 min
Rating: 85

2011

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 42 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 474 Ratings

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6.6

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6.6	Your Score
6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 474 Ratings

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Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

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Movie Details & Credits

Focus Features | Release Date: December 9, 2011 | R

Summary: The time is 1973. The Cold War of the mid-20th Century continues to damage international relations. Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), a.k.a. MI6 and code-named the Circus, is striving to keep pace with other countries’ espionage efforts and to keep the U.K. secure. When things go awry, it's up to top lieutenant, George Smiley, aThe time is 1973. The Cold War of the mid-20th Century continues to damage international relations. Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), a.k.a. MI6 and code-named the Circus, is striving to keep pace with other countries’ espionage efforts and to keep the U.K. secure. When things go awry, it's up to top lieutenant, George Smiley, a career spy with razor-sharp senses, to get things back on track. (Focus Features)… Expand

Director: Tomas Alfredson

Genre(s): Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 127 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Rick Groen

Dec 15, 2011

This superb remake has the inevitable look of a period piece, a smoke-filled rendering of things past. However, thanks to Tomas Alfredson's direction, a taut screenplay, and a uniformly brilliant cast, the film also retains its contemporary relevance. Read full review

Ella Taylor

Dec 9, 2011

The screenplay, by Peter Straughan and his late wife, Bridget O'Connor, is debonair. Alfredson's mastery of tone and ambiance is flawless. The bloodletting is brief and necessarily appalling, the comedy mordant: I guarantee you will never sing along to "Mr. Woo" in quite the same way again. Read full review

Manohla Dargis

Dec 8, 2011

A pleasurably sly and involving puzzler - a mystery about mysteries within mysteries. Read full review

Shawn Levy

Dec 22, 2011

A smart and engaging entertainment. Read full review

Dana Stevens

Dec 8, 2011

The film's best moments are the quiet ones in which Oldman's ironically named Smiley provides the story with its wise, unsmiling soul. Read full review

Richard Corliss

Nov 29, 2011

At two hours, the film version is a third the miniseries' length, requiring severe compression by screenwriters Peter Straughan (The Debt) and Bridget O'Connor, which they've accomplished smartly. Read full review

Anthony Lane

Dec 27, 2011

The new film will recruit new friends to the cause; but if we seek George Smiley and his people, with their full complement of terrors, illusions, and shames, we should follow the example of the ever-retiring Smiley, and go back to our books. That's the truth. Read full review

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User Reviews

hoops2448

Dec 9, 2011

Tinker Tailor is one of the most planned out films I have seen in all my years. It is filled with subtle hints and images. It's a film that doesn't point things out, it crams the screen full of imagery and lets the viewer decide whats relevant just like Gary Oldman's George Smiley is. Its aTinker Tailor is one of the most planned out films I have seen in all my years. It is filled with subtle hints and images. It's a film that doesn't point things out, it crams the screen full of imagery and lets the viewer decide whats relevant just like Gary Oldman's George Smiley is. Its a film that marvels in the enigma that is Smiley and works best when you have no idea what he is thinking. It is one of the greatest thinking mans films. The performances are flawless with Oldman giving one of the best of his career and Colin Firth following up his Kings Speech role with something more in your face and exuberant that makes him stand out in a crowd of people known for secrets and lies. The cast is rounded out by some of the best British Thesps around from Toby Jones to Kathy Burke. The direction is so clever in the way it toys with the viewer. Its outstanding in every possible way, well worth a watch.… Expand

7 of 13 users found this helpful76

gunnyart

Jan 10, 2012

This was a truly great spy thriller. It was so engaging and believable it could have been a leaked account of the real travails of intelligence agencies during the cold war. The grainy style of filming and muted colors helped transport us to the early 70's adding to that believability.This was a truly great spy thriller. It was so engaging and believable it could have been a leaked account of the real travails of intelligence agencies during the cold war. The grainy style of filming and muted colors helped transport us to the early 70's adding to that believability. Expecting to be tested by all the plot twists I suppose I was more tuned in then usual but, if you couldn't follow it you weren't paying attention. If tripe like Angelina Jolie's "Salt" is your idea of a spy thriller you'll hate this film. If on the other hand you enjoy an intelligent and gripping and utterly believable spy thriller this is a must see for you.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

danmasters1987

Jan 12, 2012

I'm writing this review purely because I feel it would be a massive injustice to this film if people were put off by people assuming critics weren't being true to their feelings on the film or viewers are simply talking up their enjoyment to claim some perceived intellectual high-ground.I'm writing this review purely because I feel it would be a massive injustice to this film if people were put off by people assuming critics weren't being true to their feelings on the film or viewers are simply talking up their enjoyment to claim some perceived intellectual high-ground. This is certainly not an easy, sit back and consume film by any stretch of the imagination, but that is ultimately it's greatest strength, as the satisfaction at the final pay-off is all the larger for it. There are LOTS of strands to arrange and balls to juggle early on, and a massive part of this film keeping all the mental plates spinning as all the little pieces start to come together to create a seamlessly interlocking whole.
I disagree with arguments of pretension in this film. While I feel it's valid for Thomas Alfredson's 'Let the Right One In' more so, though I also enjoyed that, there is no interpretation required, everything you need to know is either on screen or in the script. The more attention paid the greater the rewards, which is surely the perfect undercurrent for a spellbinding spy movie.
I only don't give it a ten because if you either don't enjoy complexity in your films (though this is not the faux-complexity of bad story-telling) it isn't for you - which bares no relation to intelligence, purely taste. Classics need to be accessible and this isn't. But if you do access it it is a hugely rewarding and satisfying journey entirely unreliant on cheap tricks and hollywood mainstays. Two hours of beautiful brain workout and tantalising story depth.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MossyCDL

Feb 12, 2012

If you are not good at finding subtle clues and putting them together fairly quickly, then you will find this movie a harrowing ordeal. I was personally confused for the first 30 minutes or so into the movie, but once I got settled, I started to put things together, although, not as fast asIf you are not good at finding subtle clues and putting them together fairly quickly, then you will find this movie a harrowing ordeal. I was personally confused for the first 30 minutes or so into the movie, but once I got settled, I started to put things together, although, not as fast as the movie requires if you truly want to figure out "who is it?" The last 30 minutes of the movie are the most remarkable; it truly is a wonderful denouement. That being said, you may still find yourself will many unanswered questions after the movie ends. The acting was great, but Gary Oldman stole the spotlight and made the movie bearable. His character radiates a calm inquisitiveness throughout the whole film. I was surprised at how good the score was in the film. It really gave a 70s feel to the film. The real gem of the movie, however, was the screenplay. Even though at times it was far too complex, the screenplay was filled with nuances that made the film what it is. This is not a Bond-esque spy thriller. Don't expect much action, and don't expect it the movie to go by quickly.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

Lokathor

Apr 25, 2014

This movie is confusing. This movie is slow. This movie is even boring. However, this movie presents a mood, and presents it perfectly. The mood is bleakness and mystery. This movie is great at what it does, but what it does is to sap the life from you and make everything seem bleak.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

dave89791

Dec 18, 2011

I finally registered for an account to leave this review - I think that says something

I consider myself and my significant other to be relatively intelligent, we read the new yorker regularly, been published in the new york times, graduated in the top 2% of my class... --> This movie isI finally registered for an account to leave this review - I think that says something

I consider myself and my significant other to be relatively intelligent, we read the new yorker regularly, been published in the new york times, graduated in the top 2% of my class...

--> This movie is borderline incomprehensible to those who have not read the book.

I appreciate the quality of the direction, production, etc. but my general view is that movies which are both based on an involved book and try to compress the story into 2 hours tend to come across as unintelligible to those who have not read the book. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is another example (I've never met anyone who hasn't read the book and enjoyed the film except for those individuals who were there solely to enjoy the CGI and would never have the patience to a read a book >200 pages).… Expand

5 of 15 users found this helpful510

UBERNOOBINATOR

Mar 31, 2013

I probably shouldn't review this since I slept through half the movie... then again I wasn't tired, it really did put me to sleep, it was so effing boring and I cared nothing for the characters, the plot didn't captivate me in the slightest. When the movie was over, there was an uproarI probably shouldn't review this since I slept through half the movie... then again I wasn't tired, it really did put me to sleep, it was so effing boring and I cared nothing for the characters, the plot didn't captivate me in the slightest. When the movie was over, there was an uproar through the audience complaining about just how awful it was. When I went to use the restroom complete strangers were exchanging stories about what points they nodded off and woke up and fell back asleep to. Not one person had anything good to say about it. And yet, critics have nothing but the best things to say about it. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened. They made a movie so high brow critics were too intimidated to say anything negative about it.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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18	#18 Best Movie of 2011
37	#37 Most Discussed Movie of 2011
6	#6 Most Shared Movie of 2011