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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
Watchlist 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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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 The 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 The 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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Blu B A Deep Cut Cold War Classic. The plot is really really really complex. Thank God it goes at a slow burn the entire way. The character development here is very scattershot and some get more than others. It's well directed and reminds me of a Noir almost at times. The music is solid but again it feels more like a Noir than a thriller at times. Honestly I would'nt have minded if this was in black and white. Acting is solid with Strong & Hardy being the best things acting wise. Really good performances. Everyone else does great but there isn't much character and besides Oldman no one gets a ton of screen time really or forms deep relationships throughout the entire thing. Oldman serves as the anchor in a web of deception more than any real in depth character. Cinematography is great also. Only real complaint is there really isn't any action at all in this. It's just a lot of old guys sitting around talking in a smokey room type of stuff. Everything else though is really well done. Hats off how it handles flashbacks and giving character development so far in and not feeling out of place or taking away from momentum. The actual plot is VERY hard to follow but I can make out the important stuff enough and the execution is great. The plot twist isn't bad but it's not obvious looking back either. This is 100% something you need to watch multiple times to fully grasp everything but it's not bloated. Maybe a bit more action and a bit more development would've helped here but as is this is a great Cold War thriller that any fan of political thrillers, any actors in this, Cold War movies, or the director will like. Defintely not for everyone but 100% a good movie. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/28/25 Full Review Stephen C Success in 2 hours and 7 minutes!!!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Some Sexuality/Nudity, Language and Violence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/02/25 Full Review 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 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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