Genre: Spy Thriller
Studio: Focus Features
Starring: Gary Oldman, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Dencik, Colin Firth, Stephen Graham, Tom Hardy, Ciarán Hinds, John Hurt, Toby Jones, Mark Strong
Directed By: Tomas Alfredson (“Let the Right One In”)
Novel By: John le Carré
Synopsis:
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is the long-awaited feature film version of John le Carré’s classic bestselling novel. The thriller is directed by Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In). The screenplay adaptation is by the writing team of Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan.
The time is 1973. The Cold War of the mid-20th Century continues to damage international relations. Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), a.k.a. MI6 and code-named the Circus, is striving to keep pace with other countries’ espionage efforts and to keep the U.K. secure. The head of the Circus, known as Control (John Hurt), personally sends dedicated operative Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) into Hungary. But Jim’s mission goes bloodily awry, and Control is forced out of the Circus – as is his top lieutenant, George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a career spy with razor-sharp senses.
Estranged from his absent wife Ann, Smiley is soon called in to see undersecretary Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney); he is to be rehired in secret at the government’s behest, as there is a gnawing fear that the Circus has long been compromised by a double agent, or mole, working for the Soviets and jeopardizing England. Supported by younger agent Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch), Smiley parses Circus activities past and present. In trying to track and identify the mole, Smiley is haunted byhis decades-earlier interaction with the shadowy Russian spy master Karla.
The mole’s trail remains cold until maverick field agent Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy) unexpectedly contacts Lacon. While undercover in Turkey, Ricki has fallen for a betrayed married woman, Irina (Svetlana Khodchenkova), who claims to possess crucial intelligence. Separately, Smiley learns that Control narrowed down the list of mole suspects to five men. They are the ambitious Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), whom he had code-named Tinker; suavely confident Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), dubbed Tailor; stalwart Roy Bland (Ciarán Hinds), called Soldier; officious Toby Esterhase (David Dencik), dubbed Poor Man; and – Smiley himself. Even before the startling truth is revealed, the emotional and physical tolls on the players enmeshed in the deadly international spy game.
What I like about this is the gritty realism of being a secret agent in the UK during the 1970's. Unlike other books & films (James Bond being the one that immediately springs to mind) le Carre doesn't try to glamourise the work and it isn't littered with car chases and gun fights but is far more focused on the mundane legwork of the role.
It would be far too easy for this book to be a difficult read and quite boring but le Carre shows great skill in managing to make this such an engaging read. No, it's not a book you can just skim through, you do have to concentrate on it but I found it to be riveting.
I have to admit, I haven't actually seen the film yet (it's only released today) but given how fantastic the book is and hte completely amazong cast and crew I'll definitely be hitting the cinema as soon as possible
Now for the giveaway!!
There are 2 prize packs available both of which include
• Movie Tie-in Book
• T-Shirt
• Voice Recorder Pen
• Post-it Note Cube
Prizing values: $43 per pack
Giveaway provided by Focus Features
Open to U.S. addresses only
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