Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

[charanjitw]

Late review but I also saw this on Wed evening and agree with some of the others about how slow the film was. I tried to concentrate and really wanted to like it because there was a great cast, but by the time it got to the end, I didnt care enough any more!

This was really well acted though and I think anyone looking for a suspensful thriller would enjoy this, as would anyone who is already familiar with the story.

[opas]

Yes, it is a very slow burn but I was gripped by all the little intricacies of the plot. I would have liked to have known more about the characters but the story telling style, using flashbacks kept me on my toes as it slowly unravelled.

I felt there could have been a prequel film before this to set things up for TTSS so we could have a greater understanding of the characters, their backgrounds and relationships - also really setting up the mysterious Karla as a formidable foe. I assume that this is what you get when you read the Le Carre Books.

I liked the old London backdrop (I don't even remember phone boxes looking like that!) and the understated tones where things were not necessarily said but you understood what is meant.

[spoiler]I was most intrigued by Mark Strong's character and was debating his actions all the way home. Found Firth to be particularly disappointing - although suspected him from the beginning.[/spoiler]

8/10 for me.

[amiirah1981]

Really looking forward to seeing it! How does it compare to the book?

[sandypiper]

I thought it was really hard going...and was a bit disappointed in it to be honest.

[domchalk]

Dreadful film, boring and made me not care, also started to send me to sleep.
Maybe I should give the book a go instead.

[butterfly]

I loved the film, didn't disappoint me even after the hype. The film kept me gripped to the screen (shame about the new seats in Odeon Switch Island, far too hard). It made me wonder who the spy was until the end reveal. My love for Benedict Cumberbatch grew even more, didn't think that was possible, Cast overall were fabulous. The movie has a very authentic aesthetics feal to the era set. 9/10

[hotlondon]

Late review but I also saw this on Wed evening and agree with some of the others about how slow the film was. I tried to concentrate and really wanted to like it because there was a great cast, but by the time it got to the end, I didnt care enough any more!

This was really well acted though and I think anyone looking for a suspensful thriller would enjoy this, as would anyone who is already familiar with the story.

I agree. Wanted to like it due to the good reviews, but it was just too slow and the end was pretty disappointing! The eureka moment the main character gets comes from NOWHERE, and we don't see the reason for this breakthrough. The movie left me annoyed that I had actually invested time in going to watch an all star cast with a boring convoluted storyline.

[yogi]

Finally got to see this last night using O2 priority moments, what a great promotion, no free hot dog this week though.

Conditions were pretty perfect, I had the screen at the Trafford Centre almost all to myself and you could here a pin drop during the film (it like being in the biggest front room in the world) I was not too tired and suitable enthused by the positive reviews I'd heard and had recently watched the BBC adaptation so hopefully I wouldn't have too much trouble following the plot (In fact there's a lot less omitted than you may think in getting the story from 7hrs to 2 and a bit - though I can't speak for the book)

And overall I was very impressed, it was well acted and the look and design of the film was outstanding. The BBC version did seem a bit baggy at times, but it's still quite an achievement to get the story down to movie length without really losing much. In fact I only really missed some of the extended scenes with Jim Prideaux, Connie Sachs and Bill Haydon - Beryl Reid's scenes in particular in the original as Connie Sachs packing quite a punch even eclipsing the great Kathy Burke.

But, as with the BBC version, the final reveal still lacked impact and the spying and detective work of Smiley and his team seemed awfully straight forward and no one ever seemed to be in any real danger or peril. I seem to remember one review saying that the film shows how Britain was being squeezed out the world stage by Russia and the USA and that certainly comes across, but it doesn't help it as a drama if the important action and decisions are happening somewhere else.

I can definitely see how some people may find it a tough watch, it's such a change of pace from a typical 'spy' movie, but it's worth sticking with, but for me maybe I admired it more than truly enjoyed it.

[spoiler]Plus the ending with Smiley in Control's chair reminded me of the sort of thing you may get at the end of X Men or Fantastic Four - right that's the origin story out of the way, everything's in place, just wait until the next one....[/spoiler]

[QfwfQ]

The film is too slow and I couldn't find any highlights in it. The great cast is wasted by the director. But I think those who have read the novel should have a different feeling.

[sarahb4u]

aah - a dose of Tom Hardy will always brighten my day!

Count me in on this one (ssh don't tell anyone but I might even p*y if I have to)!!

hahaha it's literally the only reason why i went to watch warrior (pa*d for it though)