Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

R

Released Jan 6, 2012

2h 7m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

230 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In 1970s England the head of MI6, Control (John Hurt), dispatches an agent (Mark Strong) to meet with a Hungarian general who knows the identity of a Soviet spy in the organization's ranks. However, the mission goes wrong, and the general dies before he can reveal the information. Undersecretary Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney) calls veteran agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) back from forced retirement to ferret out the mole and stop the flow of vital British secrets to the Russians.

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Critics Consensus

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a dense puzzle of anxiety, paranoia, and espionage that director Tomas Alfredson pieces together with utmost skill.

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Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

Stepping into the shoes of Alec Guinness, Gary Oldman, in a performance of restrained inscrutability, captures perfectly the character of John le Carré’s seasoned spy George Smiley...

Jan 10, 2024

Full Review

Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

Sublime.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 3, 2021

Full Review

Deborah Ross

The Spectator

So beautifully executed and so visually absorbing and so atmospherically hypnotic that I wonder this: would it have been awfully greedy to have hoped to have wholly understood it, too?

Aug 31, 2018

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Le Carré enthusiasts will be left wanting another hour or so of filmic flesh on this skin-and-bones telling.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 1, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

While it’s deliberate and sometimes dry, O’Connor and Straughan’s script is tight, structured, and clearly intends to make the audience work right alongside of Smiley.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 26, 2022

Full Review

James Croot

The Post NZ

One of the greatest spy thrillers of the century.

Rated: 4.5/5

Jul 14, 2022

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Faiz D

Class all the way through. This is how a Spy thriller should be made!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

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Rob A

I'm sorry, but this was difficult to follow. (I'm fairly intelligent; I earned a bachelor's degree without really studying.) Perhaps one needed to read the book. Maybe it's a big help if you're British. The cast was GREAT, but as with investing it's difficult to buy something you don't understand.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/05/25

Full Review

tim s

I understand that spies in the real world aren't reminiscent of James Bond, Ethan Hunt, etc., but this isn't entertaining at all. It's a sedative. Nothing in this film invokes a memory.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/02/25

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M B

Excellent casting, acting and directing make this compelling movie a must see for anyone interested in real spies!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/14/25

Full Review

mccxlv m

Good film, great casting, set design is apt and color grading is superb but entirely, the storyline gets pretty confusing!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/18/25

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Gary K

Brilliant film, brilliantly acted. I get that the entirety of the book can't be crammed into a single film, but the film is solid and well crafted. Acting performances were a joy to behold. It doesn't surprise me that people who are spoon fed CGI and explosions and shootouts every three minutes won't enjoy it, but for me I'd like to see more films like this being made.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/25

Full Review

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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In 1970s England the head of MI6, Control (John Hurt), dispatches an agent (Mark Strong) to meet with a Hungarian general who knows the identity of a Soviet spy in the organization's ranks. However, the mission goes wrong, and the general dies before he can reveal the information. Undersecretary Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney) calls veteran agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) back from forced retirement to ferret out the mole and stop the flow of vital British secrets to the Russians.

Director: Tomas Alfredson
Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Robyn Slovo
Screenwriter: Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: StudioCanal, Paradis Films, Working Title Films
Rating: R (Some Sexuality/Nudity|Language|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 6, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $24.1M
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital

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