Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Film adaption of the 1974 novel of the same name by John le Carré, an author (still working in his 80's by the way) well known for his more 'realistic' spy novels. Tinker Tailor Solider Spy had been adapted for the screen before, as a mini-series for the BBC in 1979 staring Alec Guinness as George Smiley, a British intelligence officer who shows up in many of le Carré's novels, and here is played by Gary Oldman who was Oscar nominated for the role. Set in the mid-70's Smiley is a recently retired agent who is secretly brought back in by the government to investigate the possible presence of a Soviet mole in the top levels of the British intelligence apparatus. The movie has a excellent cast of supporting character players including Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Toby Jones, Ciarán Hinds, Benedict Cumberbatch, and the late John Hurt (I miss John Hurt). Smart, well constructed, but also so low key that at times it all blends a little too much together. ***1/2