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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Play trailer 2:00 Poster for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy R Released Jan 6, 2012 2h 7m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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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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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

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Movie Info

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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