Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Director:

Tomas Alfredson

Writers:

Bridget O'Connor (screenplay) &
Peter Straughan (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

6 January 2012 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

How do you find an enemy who is hidden right before your eyes?

Plot:

In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6.

Plot Keywords:

Hungary | Mole | Intelligence | Spy | Cold War

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 43 nominations

Cast

Mark Strong	...	Jim Prideaux
John Hurt	...	Control
Zoltán Mucsi	...	Magyar
Péter Kálloy Molnár	...	Hungarian Waiter
Ilona Kassai	...	Woman in Window
Imre Csuja	...	KGB Agent
Gary Oldman	...	George Smiley
Toby Jones	...	Percy Alleline
David Dencik	...	Toby Esterhase
Ciarán Hinds	...	Roy Bland
Colin Firth	...	Bill Haydon
Kathy Burke	...	Connie Sachs
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Peter Guillam
Stephen Graham	...	Jerry Westerby
Arthur Nightingale	...	Bryant
Simon McBurney	...	Oliver Lacon
Tom Hardy	...	Ricki Tarr
Amanda Fairbank-Hynes	...	Belinda
Peter O'Connor	...	Fawn
Roger Lloyd-Pack	...	Mendel
Matyelok Gibbs	...	Mrs. Pope Graham
Phillip Hill-Pearson	...	Norman
Jamie Thomas King	...	Kaspar
Stuart Graham	...	Minister
Konstantin Khabenskiy	...	Polyakov
Sarah Jane Wright	...	Mary Alleline (as Sarah-Jane Robinson)
Katrina Vasilieva	...	Ann Smiley
Linda Marlowe	...	Mrs. McCraig
William Haddock	...	Bill Roach
Erksine Wylie	...	Spikeley
Philip Martin Brown	...	Tufty Thesinger
Tomasz Kowalski	...	Boris
Svetlana Khodchenkova	...	Irina
Alexandra Salafranca	...	Turkish Mistress
Denis Khoroshko	...	Ivan
Oleg Dzhabrailov	...	Sergei
Gillian Steventon	...	Listening Woman
Nick Hopper	...	Janitor Alwyn
Laura Carmichael	...	Sal
Rupert Procter	...	Guillam's Boyfriend
John le Carré	...	Christmas Party Guest
Michael Sarne	...	Voice of Karla (voice)
Christian McKay	...	Mackelvore
Jean-Claude Jay	...	French Man at Residency
Tom Stuart	...	Ben
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sarah Linda	...	Miss Robinson
Peter Bartfay	...	Hungarian Secret Agent (voice) (uncredited)
Nick Shaw	...	Civil Servant (uncredited)
Eva Von Mitzka	...	MI5 Spy (uncredited)

Directed by
Tomas Alfredson

Writing credits
Bridget O'Connor		(screenplay) &
Peter Straughan		(screenplay)
John le Carré		(novel)

Produced by
Tim Bevan	....	producer
Liza Chasin	....	executive producer
Eric Fellner	....	producer
Alexandra Ferguson	....	co-producer
Ron Halpern	....	executive producer
Debra Hayward	....	executive producer
John le Carré	....	executive producer
Peter Morgan	....	executive producer
Artist W. Robinson	....	line producer: Budapest
Robyn Slovo	....	producer
Alex Sutherland	....	line producer: Turkey
Douglas Urbanski	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Alberto Iglesias

Cinematography by
Hoyte Van Hoytema		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Dino Jonsäter

Casting by
Jina Jay

Production Design by
Maria Djurkovic

Art Direction by
Tom Brown		(supervising art director)
Zsuzsa Kismarty-Lechner

Set Decoration by
Tatiana Macdonald

Costume Design by
Jacqueline Durran

Makeup Department
Felicity Bowring	....	makeup and hair designer
Sophia Burnage	....	makeup and hair artist: dailies
Konnie Daniel	....	makeup and hair artist: dailies
Alison Hanken	....	makeup artist: daily
Tara McDonald	....	hair and makeup artist: daily
Donald McInnes	....	key makeup artist (key hair stylist)
Sharon O'Brien	....	makeup and hair artist: dailies
Jutta Russell	....	makeup artist: second unit
Luca Saccuman	....	makeup and hair artist: dailies
Sue Wyburgh	....	crowd supervisor: makeup and hair
Wakana Yoshihara	....	hair and make up artist

Production Management
Berk Bengu	....	production manager: Istanbul
Tania Blunden	....	post-production supervisor
Deborah Harding	....	post-production supervisor
Sasha Harris	....	unit production manager: additional photography
Zeynep Santiroglu	....	production manager
György Sánta	....	production manager: Hungary
Tim Wellspring	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yagiz Alp Akaydin	....	first assistant director: Turkey
Zoltán Bonta	....	first assistant director: Hungary
James Chambers	....	third assistant director: second unit
Laura De Selincourt	....	crowd second assistant director
Mark Hopkins	....	second assistant director
Robert Karn	....	assistant director
Miklos Keleti	....	third assistant director: Hungary
Zoe Liang	....	co-second assistant director
Mikael Marcimain	....	second unit director
Andrew McEwan	....	first assistant director: second unit
Paul Mindel	....	second assistant director: second unit
Alex Oakley	....	first assistant director
Tracey Warren	....	second assistant director: second unit

Art Department
John Allen	....	carpenter
Adam Chard	....	painter
David Chisholm	....	property storeman
Dean Coldham	....	set plasterer
Deano Harry Coldham	....	apprentice plasterer
Chris Cull	....	property master
Laszlo Demeter	....	stand-by art director: Hungary
Gary Dempsey	....	stand-by painter
Jonathan Downing	....	stand-by prop
Ayberk Dorukhan Erdogdu	....	standby prop/picture cars: Turkey
Tunc Erguden	....	prop master: Turkey
Gill Farr	....	production buyer
András Gaál	....	stand-by props: Hungary
Gavin Gordon	....	hod carpenter
Deniz Göktürk	....	art director: Turkey
Felicity Hickson	....	graphic artist
Claire Holland	....	painter
Jonathan Hurst	....	dressing prop/standby prop
Magnus Jonason	....	storyboard artist
Julianna Kasza	....	graphic artist
Rob MacPherson	....	dressing prop
Simon Marsay	....	art department assistant
Adolf Mezei	....	carpenter: Budapest
Zsuzsa Mihalek	....	set decorator: Hungary
Craig Narramore	....	propshop supervisor
Sophie Phillips	....	assistant set decorator
Simon Riley	....	props
Tom Roberts	....	props
James M. Spencer	....	art department assistant
Sarah Stuart	....	stand-by art director
Béla Tollay	....	props: Hungary
Luisa Uribe	....	graphics assistant
Lloyd Vincent	....	set dresser
Ian Whiteford	....	greensman
Carl Wildeman	....	painter
Greg Winter	....	scenic artist
Charlotte Öberg	....	assistant set decorator
Anthony Szuch	....	drapes master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Mark Appleby	....	adr mixer
Howard Bargroff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Orin Beaton	....	boom operator: second unit
Andy Botham	....	sound re-recording engineer
John Casali	....	production sound mixer
Doug Cooper	....	sound re-recording mixer
Simon Diggins	....	adr recordist
Henry Dyer	....	boom operator: additional photography
Nick Foley	....	adr mixer
Stephen Griffiths	....	supervising sound editor
Adam Horley	....	adr recordist
Márton Kristóf	....	sound assistant: Hungary
Richard Lovell	....	sound mix assistant
Alan MacFeely	....	sound assistant
Joe Maher	....	sound re-recording engineer
Markus Moll	....	sound mix technician
Chris Murphy	....	boom operator
Keith Partridge	....	foley engineer
Julien Pirrie	....	foley assistant
György Rajna	....	boom operator: Hungary
Andy Shelley	....	supervising sound editor
Barnaby Smyth	....	foley artist
Barnaby Smyth	....	foley supervisor
Andy Stallabrass	....	adr mixer
Tim White	....	production sound mixer: second unit
Tolga Yelekci	....	sound assistant: Istanbul
Robert Karlsson	....	dolby sound consultant (uncredited)
John Rodda	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Steve Schwartzberg	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dean Ford	....	special effects technician
Mark Holt	....	special effects supervisor
Gabor Kiszelly	....	special effects supervisor: Hungary
David Holt	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jörundur Rafn Arnarson	....	compositor
Valdimar Baldvinsson	....	animator: Framestore
Max Berman	....	previs artist
Matthias Bjarnason	....	animator: Framestore
Zachary Bloom	....	scanning and recording: Framestore
Henry Bush	....	pipeline lead: framestore
Pete Capelluto	....	head of pipeline
Chris Cooper	....	matchmove artist: Framestore
Aimee Dadswell	....	visual effects producer: Framestore (as Aimee Dadswell-Davies)
Oz Dolphin	....	matchmove artist: framestore
Dadi Einarsson	....	visual effects supervisor: Framestore Reykjavik
Sigurður Eyþórsson	....	visual effects editorial
Matt Fox	....	head of production: Framestore
T.O.M. Hand	....	VFX editor: Framestore
Jonathan Harris	....	composite stills photographer
Frederic Heymans	....	visual effects artist
Sara Hilmarsdóttir	....	matchmove artist: Framestore
Aron Hjartarson	....	cg supervisor
Victoria Hodson	....	matchmove artist
Mats Holmgren	....	digital colourist
Jason Horley	....	concept artist: Framestore
Paul Ingram	....	matchmove artist
Mikael Jaeger Jensen	....	reference photographer
Christian Kaestner	....	set vfx supervisor: Framestore
Andreas Bravin Karlsson	....	digital compositor
Nick King	....	visual effects coordinator
Oskar Larsson	....	visual effects supervisor
Henrik Linnet	....	compositor
Peter Marin	....	compositor: Framestore
Joseph McLamb	....	matte painter
Ruslan Ogorodnik	....	visual effects
Guo Kun Pan	....	render support: framestore
Adam Parker	....	prep artist: Framestore
Olle Petersson	....	visual effects
Lee Chan Popo	....	prep artist
Sirio Quintavalle	....	visual effects supervisor: Framestore
Aatesh Shah	....	systems engineer: Framestore
Mirek Suchomel	....	visual effects compositor
Simon Hjalti Sverrisson	....	cg modeler: Framestore
Ivan Tiunov	....	matchmove artist
Ivan Tiunov	....	render support
Michael Todd	....	paint/roto artist: Framestore
Sara Trezzi	....	vfx producer: Framestore
Graham Wood	....	matchmove artist
Christian Zeh	....	digital compositor
Christophe Meslin	....	head of systems (uncredited)
Martin Stegmayer	....	digital compositor: Framestore (uncredited)

Stunts
Andy Bennett	....	stunt coordinator
Nellie Burroughes	....	stunt double
Tony Christian	....	stunt double
Bela Kasi	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Béla Unger	....	stunt coordinator: Budapest unit

Camera and Electrical Department
Rene Adefarasin	....	first assistant camera
Dominique Cheung	....	camera trainee: second unit
Wailoon Chung	....	additional electrician
David Churchyard	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Sebastian Cort	....	camera trainee
Durmus Demirezen	....	gaffer
Jack English	....	still photographer
Jallo Faber	....	second unit cinematographer
Dániel Farkas	....	video assist operator: Hungary
Dean Foard	....	lighting technician
Jack Foran	....	assistant grip
Matthew Hall	....	practical electrician
Robert Hamilton	....	video playback operator
Attila Hevesi	....	electrician: Hungary
Gábor Hevesi	....	gaffer: Hungary
Andy Hopkins	....	additional key grip
Darren Howton	....	practical electrician
Simon Hume	....	"a" camera focus puller
Nick Kenealy	....	video assist operator: Istanbul unit
János Kiss	....	key grip: Hungary
Sam Kite	....	second unit electrician
Attila Kolozs	....	grip: Budapest
David Mackie	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Tobias Marshall	....	second assistant camera
Alan Martin	....	gaffer
Seán McDermott	....	camera trainee
Gary Moore	....	electrician
Simon Muir	....	key grip: Second Unit
István Ménkü	....	electrician: Hungary
James Nesbitt	....	electrician
Terry Robb	....	electrician
Caner Sen	....	second assistant camera
Colin Strachan	....	grip
Gabor Szucs	....	grip: Hungary
Nick C. Teulon	....	trainee grip (as Nick Teulon)
Simon Thorpe	....	b camera grip
Neil Tomlin	....	crane technician: dailies
István Török	....	dolly grip: "a" camera: Hungary
János Varga	....	electrician: Hungary
Zsámbék Viktor	....	best boy: Hungary
Alexander Youssef	....	camera trainee

Animation Department
Black Heart	....	background artist

Casting Department
Abigail Barbier	....	adr voice casting
Dixie Chassay	....	child casting
Alex Duxbury	....	casting assistant
Louis Elman	....	adr voice casting
Katy Lake	....	casting assistant
Zsolt Ferenc Maier	....	extras casting
Veronika Varjasi	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jill Avery	....	costume assistant: second unit
Bartholomew Cariss	....	costume assistant
Rosaria Coppola	....	seamstress
Andrea Cripps	....	assistant costume designer
Safa Demirkan	....	costume assistant: Turkey
Safa Demirkan	....	wardrobe assistant
Dan Grace	....	costume supervisor
Jamie Harvey	....	wardrobe assistant
Gábor Homonnay	....	costume supervisor
Edith Kähler	....	set costumer
Sinéad O'Sullivan	....	costume assistant
Nadine Powell	....	additional costume assistant
Nicholas Roche-Gordon	....	key set costumer
Edwina Sercombe	....	costume assistant: daily
Hilal Sezer	....	assistant costume designer: Turkey
Adrian Simmons	....	costume assistant: second unit
Beril Sinan	....	costume assistant: Turkey
Guy Speranza	....	additional costume assistant
Katalin Ujvari	....	principal dresser: Hungary

Editorial Department
Tamás Albert	....	post production engineer
Jill Bilcock	....	additional editor
Jonas Jangvad	....	technical coordinator: post-production
Emma McCleave	....	additional assistant editor
Sofie Palage	....	post-production coordinator
Cheryl Potter	....	assistant editor
Mark Trend	....	first assistant editor
Simona Harrison	....	colorist: dailies (uncredited)

Music Department
Nick Angel	....	music supervisor
James Bellamy	....	music editor
Nicholas Bucknall	....	musician: clarinet
Javier Casado	....	musician: piano
Andrew Crowley	....	musician: trumpet (as Andy Crowley)
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Vicki Williams	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Mark Beeton	....	unit driver
Sue Beeton	....	unit driver
Fergus Cotter	....	unit driver
Márton Ivanov	....	transportation captain: Hungary
Zsolt Somogyi	....	action vehicle coordinator: Hungary
Zsolt Somogyi	....	transportation coordinator: Hungary
Barrie Williams	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Tom Ackerley	....	crowd runner
Serdar Atik	....	accounts assistant: Istanbul
Libbie Barr	....	script supervisor
Csaba Benedek	....	location and security consultant: Hungary
Joshua Benedetti	....	unit manager
Hannah Collett	....	production coordinator
Lynsey Cosford	....	assistant location manager
Daniel Cox	....	floor runner/stand in
Damon Crane	....	location scout
Yasamine Davami	....	location marshall
Adrianna Nielle Davies	....	set runner: dailies
Rebecca Davis	....	location scout
Jeremy DeCoursey	....	location assistant
Chloe Dorigan	....	assistant: Tim Bevan
Joe Downs	....	assistant accountant
Jon Duncan	....	production accountant
Emily Forbes	....	floor runner
Tilly Gerrard-Bannister	....	set runner: reshoots
Marco Giacalone	....	location manager
Chris Hankey	....	location marshall
Jonathan Harris	....	assistant to director
Evan Hayes	....	production executive: Working Title
Elizabeth Himelstein	....	dialect coach: Gary Oldman
Richard Hooper	....	key armourer
Jonathan Houston	....	assistant production co-ordinator
Pinar Isbilen	....	production accounts: Istanbul
Chris Johnston	....	location assistant
Rachel Kennedy	....	unit publicist
Rachel King	....	unit nurse
Balint Kovacs	....	location manager: Hungary
Bence Kovacs	....	assistant location manager: Hungary
Björn Kusoffsky	....	title designer
Cameron Lawther	....	set production assistant: second unit
Jamie Lengyel	....	location manager: additional photography
Laurie Mahon	....	floor runner/stand in
Jill McCullough	....	dialect coach
Mitchell Mcgee	....	unit security
Josey McNamara	....	floor runner
Steve Mortimore	....	location manager
Paul Murphy	....	first assistant accountant
Alfie Oldman	....	floor runner
Anneli Oscarsson	....	post-production coordination supervisor
János Papp	....	health & safety advisor: Hungary
Stephen G. Parker	....	location assistant (as Stephen Parker)
Davina Pem	....	assistant accountant
Katherine Pomfret	....	assistant to Eric Fellner
Thomas Pook	....	floor runner: additional photography
Tom Reynolds	....	floor runner: dailies
Gary Richens	....	crowd production assistant
Saygin Saral	....	production assistant: Istanbul
Jack Sidey	....	production coordinator: Working Title
Edward Simmons	....	assistant to producer
Emine Soydanyavas	....	production coordinator: Istanbul
Emma Sturgis	....	production assistant
Helen Swanwick	....	production secretary
Alex Taylor	....	production runner
Julia Tomlinson	....	location scout: dailies
John William Turner	....	floor runner: dailies
Charlotte Wright	....	location manager
Chaban Yusuf	....	location manager
Adriene Whitwell	....	location assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Jane Cornwell	....	special thanks
Bridget O'Connor	....	dedicatee
Josh Wood	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Studio Canal
• Karla Films (co-production)
• Paradis Films (co-production)
• Kinowelt Filmproduktion (co-production)
• Working Title Films (co-producer)
• Canal+ (support)
• CinéCinéma (support) (as Cinecinema)

Distributors

• StudioCanal (2011) (UK) (theatrical)
• ITI Cinema (2011) (Poland) (theatrical)
• Top Film Distribution (2011) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Top Film Distribution (2011) (Ukraine) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Focus Features (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• CInema Hotel Corporation (CHC) (2012) (Kazakhstan) (theatrical)
• DeA Planeta Home Entertainment (2011) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2012) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2012) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Starway Film Distribution (2012) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• StudioCanal (2012) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Village Films (2012) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2011) (Switzerland) (all media)
• DeA Planeta Home Entertainment (2012) (Spain) (DVD)
• Deltamac Entertainment (2011) (Hong Kong) (all media)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2011) (Thailand) (all media)
• StudioCanal (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• StudioCanal (2012) (France) (DVD)
• StudioCanal (2012) (France) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• StudioCanal (2012) (UK) (DVD)
• StudioCanal (2012) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2011) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• Chimney Pot, The
• Framestore
• Multifilm Special Effects

Other Companies

• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting equipment
• AZ Celtic Films  production services by
• Angels the Costumiers  wardrobe
• Bonded Services  prop storage
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Chimney Pot, The  digital intermediate and finishing
• De Lane Lea  ADR recording
• De Lane Lea  sound re-recording
• Digital Media Services (DMS)  digital asset management
• Digital Media Services (DMS)  publicity footage
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Goldcrest Post Production London  sound post-production
• Intelligent Media  international monitoring agency
• Movie Lot, The  re-shoots
• Palace Scenery  construction
• Panavision UK  camera equipment provided by
• Pepper Sound  ADR recording facility
• Production Copier Company  production equipment and services
• Salon  Avid HD editing equipment
• Silva Screen Records  soundtrack
• Videoassist.hu  video assist equipment provided by

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, some sexuality/nudity and language

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

France | UK | Germany

Language:

English | Russian | Hungarian | French

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Datasat | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Australia:MA15+ | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Sweden:15 | Singapore:M18 | Malaysia:18 | Portugal:M/12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Norway:15 | India:A | Brazil:14 | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:12 | France:U | Japan:R15+ | Argentina:16 | USA:R (certificate #46967)

Filming Locations:

Blythe House, 23 Blythe Road, West Kensington, London, England, UK

Company:

Studio Canal

Trivia:

Tomas Alfredson based the environment on his first impressions of London when he first visited the town in the 1970s: a brown and gray palette, shadows and uncovered light-bulbs, and dirty streets. "If you see London now and at that time, it's two different cities. Today it's a white city; then it was black,; it was so dirty, and you could still feel the War all around."

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During a roof shot going down the building to the road in Istanbul, 2 split type air conditioners can be clearly seen mounted on a building wall. Split air conditioners came to the Turkish market in mid'90s.

Quotes:

[from trailer]
Control:All I want from you is one codename: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier...
George Smiley:...Spy.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.19" (2011)

Soundtrack:

The Second Best Secret Agent In The Whole Wide World

A Genuine Achievement

Boldly announcing himself upon the stage of international cinema with 2009's Let the Right One In, the significant critical and commercial acclaim accorded director Thomas Alfredson clearly proved him a filmmaker capable of pulling off high quality adaptations of complex and dark literary sources.

Called back into service to uncover the identity of a Soviet mole at the height of the Cold War, retired British intelligence operative George Smiley is tasked with unwinding a vastly convoluted web of conspiracy, codenames, double agents, and deceit.

The movement from relatively low-budget foreign language filmmaking to helming star casts in comparably costly productions is one that, historically, holds significant risk for directorial careers. Add to the mix the danger of bringing a much-loved novel to life on screen, and Alfredson is certainly faced with a substantial task. An espionage thriller, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy—based on John le Carré's book—throws an extremely layered narrative at its audience and insists they keep up, making little in the way of allowance for those accustomed to excess plot exposition. Concerning an approximate dozen key characters—most of whom go by at least two names—the film contains a considerable quantity of raw information to be processed, particularly considering its reserved pace; the camera scrolls slowly across the screen in step with the story's measured progression, constantly moving along yet never losing the integral tension of its hastelessness. Alfredson and screenwriters Bridget O' Connor and Peter Straughan demonstrate a keenness for the more tensely-oriented end of the genre, delving into an atmosphere of unease rather than one of brisk spy action. There is almost an air of claustrophobia to much of the film, the caliginous cinematography and mysterious score combining to evoke an aura of noir paranoia. Much like Let the Right One In, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy boasts a thrilling visual panache; indeed, Hoyte van Hoytema's cinematography is oftentimes so remarkably involving that entire scenes may pass by without any absorption of the dialogical details disclosed therein—the brain is simply too overcome by the aesthetic bombardment of visual pleasure to decipher the explicit aural signals. One particular shot—an extreme close-up of Smiley's wearied face draped in shadow— affords the audience the time to study the furrowed ridges of his forehead and the weighted bags of his eyelids, giving us an entitled sense of knowledge of, and familiarity with, this character. It seems almost redundant to offer praise to the film's extraordinary cast; a brief glance at the list of exemplary names will disclose the sheer calibre of talent on display: a veritable dream team of the finest names of modern British cinema. From Firth to Hurt, Hardy to Cumberbatch, Oldman to Dencik, the phenomenal cast plays beautifully together, each actor inhabiting their character with award-courting flair. Where Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy really shines is in its characterisation—an all-too often underutilised aspect in this genre—each of them distinctly human rather than simply mouths through which the plot developments are channelled. Their primary concern may be with their espionage, but ours is with them: exploring their motivations; their private lives; their loyalties; and just how a career like theirs affects an existence. A recurring Christmas party scene revisited a number of times throughout the film reminds us regularly that these intelligence agents are not solely extensions of the government's facilities, but rather human beings with emotions, afflicted by the agonies of their toils, burying themselves in vodka-laced punch to just get away from it all.

Hitting all the right notes in its performances, script, and direction, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy triumphantly infuses a challengingly multifarious narrative with a deeper humanity, questioning by proxy the way in which devotion to duty affects all aspects of our lives. Shot with unforgettable effulgence—committing to memory eternal every last contour of Oldman's storied brow—it is a genuine achievement in cinematic storytelling.