There are James Bond fans, and then there are John LeCarré fans. Both groups are spy enthusiasts, but with tastes that diverge beyond the nice suits, British espionage, and murder. John LeCarré’s stories are slow-burning and stuffed with political intrigue; Ian Fleming liked explosions.
So you can imagine the box office for a LeCarré adaptation looks a lot different than a 007 one; but for the right audiences, the movies are extremely rewarding. Arguably the cream of the crop is 2011’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, based on LeCarré’s 1974 novel of the same name. Critics loved it (an 84% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes) and general audiences were mixed (a 65% on Rotten Tomatoes), but everyone seems to agree that it’s a great showcase for Gary Oldman, who secured his first Academy Award nomination off his work in the movie.
Plot’s as follows: during the peak of the Cold War, retired British spy George Smiley (Oldman) re-enters the fold of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service after a senior intelligence officer is suspected of being a Soviet mole. Classic spy stuff. It’s up to Smiley to figure out who the mole is, with the suspects being named after characters in an English nursery rhyme: “Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggarman, thief.”
Rolling Stone‘s Peter Travers gave the film a rave review, granting it 3 ½ stars out of 4.
“Oldman gives a performance that is flawless in every detail. This mind-bending thriller infuses Cold War espionage with the hot immediacy of today’s corporate treachery,” he said. “The film emerges as a tale of loneliness and desperation among men who can never disclose their secret hearts, even to themselves. It’s easily one of the year’s best films.”
Where to Watch Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The movie isn’t available for free on streaming, but it’s only $3.99 to rent on the big services: Apple, Amazon, Vudu, YouTube, and Google Play. It’s also available to purchase for $14.99 on all those platforms.
