Anyone seen Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy? Is it good or great?

[applegrove]

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. You are talking about the new movie, not the old Alec Guiness mini-series?

Have not seen the new one, tho it is getting good reviews from intelligent people.

[applegrove]

3. Yeah. The new movie. It has a lot of great actors in it. Thanks I'll see it.

[AtomicKitten]

2. It's a good movie in which Gary Oldman is great.

[HeiressofBickworth]

4. I've seen it

If only "intelligent" people are giving it good reviews, then I must be really stupid. I thought it was slow and Oldman's acting was flat. Yes, the surprise at the end is who the bad guy turns out to be, but for me, by that time, I didn't really care. But then, I don't like le Carre's books, either.

[Myrina]

9. Um, Oldman's acting was SUPPOSED to be flat.

That was the character's personality.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/05/news/la-en-gary-oldman-20120105

"Maybe it's the fact that he's so insular and closed off. But that was obviously also part of the attraction. He's like an owl. He's got huge eyes behind those glasses, and he's a wise old owl who watches and listens. I've played so many roles where I expressed myself physically that I enjoyed a gear shift like this."

[Brickbat]

5. I thought it was outstanding.

[wysimdnwyg]

6. I found it engaging

But it can be a bit slow and challenging to follow. I thought I was doing great until the last 20 minutes, then all of a sudden I was completely lost. I got A to B to C to D, but hell if I know how he got to F. I think a second (or third) viewing would help tremendously.

[applegrove]

13. I got lost at C. Totally could not follow the plot after that. I enjoyed the mood and the music

after that. And the style.

[whathehell]

7. I found it good and worth seeing but not "great".

[geardaddy]

8. I want to see it.

Oldman's a genius.

[Ikonoklast]

10. You won't be disappointed in the least.

Oldman was terrific, he played Smiley right down to the ground.

[pokerfan]

11. I enjoyed it

I didn't think the story could be condensed into a two hour film but the filmmakers did an admirable job. Gary Oldman was just fantastic. However, I don't know how intelligible the film is for someone unfamiliar with the story as I've read the book and also seen the British miniseries starring Alec Guinness.

NPR interview with Gary Oldman on the film: http://pd.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/wesat/2011/12/20111203_wesat_21.mp3



Another fantastic le Carré based film worth a rental is The Spy Who Came in from the Cold starring Richard Burton.

[GoneOffShore]

12. Liked it in many ways but had some criticisms - SPOILERS

Liked the fact that Ann Smiley never really appeared.

Thought that the portrayals were good.

Didn't like the accelerated violence in Constantinople - wasn't necessary or the shooting of the bystanders in Hungary.

Why have Jim Prideaux shoot the mole? Makes nonsense of the scene in the schoolroom when he kills the owl with his bare hands.

Also, the very last scene when George returns to the Circus and the fifth floor was badly directed. The hint of a smile that played across his face wasn't something he would have done.