Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011)

There's a lot to like about Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011), Tomas Alfredon's new take on John Le Carre's spy novel. I found the old BBC series a chore, Alec Guinness notwithstanding, and Alfredson crafts a more streamlined experience. Certainly Gary Oldman's George Smiley is superb. But the movie never becomes as absorbing as it should be, remaining detached and often unengaging.

In the early '70s, MI6 agent Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) is apparently killed in Budapest by KGB boss Karla. Retiring boss Control (John Hurt) assigns George Smiley (Gary Oldman) to ferret out a Soviet mole, believed to be ensconced in "the Circus's" upper echelons. The suspects: Percy Alleiline (Toby Jones), the pushy new boss; Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), who has a personal connection with Smiley; Roy Bland (Ciaran Hinds), an odious bureaucrat; and Toby Esterhase (David Dencik), a Hungarian emigre. Deep-cover agent Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy) becomes the focal point, his recent mission in Istanbul providing Smiley crucial information.

Tinker, Tailor succeeeds on most levels. Writers Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan do a fine job with Le Carre's complex narrative and moral ambiguity. The twists are easy to navigate and the shifts in time and place are well-handled. Alfredson provides interesting direction, with nice use of internationale locales (Budapest, Istanbul, Paris) and clever imagery (the multiple window shots). The only technical demerit is a bland Alberto Ingelasias score, topped by the regrettable use of a La Mer dance mix (!) over the finale. It's certainly interesting to watch Smiley unravel Karla's plot.

Interesting is the operative word. For all its intricacies Tinker is never entirely involving. There's no sense of urgency, its twisty plot and brisk pace resulting in cold detachment. The large cast remain ciphers, when their relationships are crucial to the story. One climactic scene between two characters is a damp squib when it should be an emotional high point. Superior spy films like The Day of the Jackal and The Kremlin Letter achieve clinical versimilitude while engaging the audience. In this regard, Tinker is only a step or two above Topaz's terminal numbness.

Gary Oldman's Smiley makes the film. His cobra-like visage, with devious smile and piercing eyes, reveals his true nature, a ruthless spy hunter with a mask of gentility. Oldman's performance is a study in underplaying, rarely raising his voice but dominating the screen through sheer will. This makes Smiley's few unguarded moments, as when he recounts meeting Karla, all the more powerful. If there are sequels I'll check them out just for Oldman's sake.

The rich supporting cast is reduced to making impressions. An unrecognizable Tom Hardy (Inception) gives a standout turn, giving Ricki Tarr real depth and feeling. You can't go to theaters these days without tripping over Mark Strong and Toby Jones, and both do well in underwritten parts. David Dencik (The Girl in the Dragon Tattoo) and Kathy Burke (Elizabeth) benefit from their relative anonymity.

On the other hand, Colin Firth's pivotal role is so thinly sketched that his revelations make no impact. Benedict Cumberbatch (War Horse) has lots of screen time and an ugly haircut, but zero personality. John Hurt (A Man for All Seasons), Ciaran Hinds (Munich) and Stephen Graham (Public Enemies) get what amount to extended cameos.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is a mild disappointment. It's certainly a good film, but lacks the depth or impact to push it into classic status. But if Gary Oldman returns as George Smiley, I'll definitely be watching.