Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (15) - Reviews, Films - The Independent

It’s not often I go to the cinema to see the same film twice. This is certainly one of those occasions:

Tinker Tailor is dense, deep stuff, and a mark of its subtlety is that the deceptively mild-mannered Smiley doesn’t utter a word until 20 minutes in. One of the joys of the film is that Oldman, after years playing supporting heavies, has a real role to grapple with, and one of enticing complexity. His Smiley is inscrutably cerebral, seemingly committed to a cause that he can see right through; aware that his calling obliges him to betray the friends who are probably betraying him; and engaged, at long distance, with his own shadowy Moriarty figure in the KGB. Oldman conveys all this with impeccable reserve, while implying in his character a barely supportable weight of pain and tainted knowledge. His weary but ever correct delivery suggests tact, punctiliousness, the patience of a birdwatcher stalking a rare, possibly mythical species. He also reveals an unsuspected ferocity, even cruelty – watch him coolly terrorising a suspect on an airfield.

Tinker Tailor reminded me very much of The Godfather films, where the themes of loyalty and betrayal are played out to dazzling effect. Fingers crossed it wins a similar number of plaudits come Oscar night.