Who doesn’t love a good Cold War-era espionage thriller? I must admit that I am quite a devotee of the period, and I always have been fascinated by works of fiction that locate themselves within that period. John le Carré has, for a very long time, been one of the foremost figures in Cold War fiction, based mainly on his involvement in British intelligence during the era. His novels are inherently very cinematic, and Hollywood has certainly embraced his well-constructed thrillers numerous times over the decades. I would be wrong if I didn’t outright state that I think Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is both his best novel (possibly only being overtaken by The Spy Who Came in from the Cold) and Tomas Alfredson’s adaptation is the best le Carré-inspired film yet, and very possibly one of the best films of this decade, for a variety of reasons.

Unlike many thrillers that are about war intelligence, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has a very straightforward story. Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) is seemingly assassinated in Hungary, while on an assignment for the British intelligence agency, known as The Circus. The aftermath of this botched mission results in the head of the agency, Control (John Hurt) being forced out, and his protege George Smiley (Gary Oldman) being let go as well. Four remaining members become the de facto heads of The Circus, with Percy Alleline (Toby Jones) taking on Control’s old position as leader. However, after a mysterious call from ex-spy Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy), Smiley is called out of his retirement to find which of the four members of The Circus is actually a Soviet spy, siphoning off British intelligence to the Russians. With dedicated but lower-ranking agent Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) by his side, Smiley goes in search of this mole.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a unique war film in the way that it takes place almost entirely outside any traditional realm of war, not necessarily the actual battlefield, but also the departments and military bases that constitute these kinds of espionage thrillers. There is also very little physical combat in this film – yet it is just as thrilling and filled with action as any broad war film. The difference is that in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, the warfare takes the form of subtle and intricate mindgames, as our protagonist forces his way to answers by manipulating suspects and those who are associated by proxy, looking for answers to the multitude of questions that he has. Smiley traumatizes the suspects and makes them doubt everything they hold to be true, using his quick-witted intelligence and understanding of the human mind to find the answers that he is looking for. In many ways, while this film lacks much action (with two of the very few scenes of actual violence book-ending this film), it is equally as riveting and entertaining as a film that features physical battles. The reason for this is very clear: the cast and the development of their characters.

I think Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has one of the best casts of any film in recent years – and while any film that features a large amount of talent will doubtlessly be notable for its cast, it isn’t the pedigree of actors that we have present in this film, but rather what they do with the characters they are given. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has some of the most prestigious members of what I consider to be the modern royal family of British performers, yet they all seem to be playing characters different from what we normally see them do. I credit this to the incredible screenplay, as well as the devotion by the writers, the director, and the actors to actually develop these characters, rather than make them conventional, cut-out archetypes present in many war films. John le Carré may write thrilling books, but what sets him out from his contemporaries is his construction of these characters as far more than what we expect, and this carries on beautifully into the film as well.

Now I have an admission to make – I like Gary Oldman, but I do not see him as the supreme master of acting that many see him as. In fact, I find him to be quite overbearing in many of his roles, with his loud and excessive performances, usually as villains, often being ridiculously strange. There isn’t any doubt that he is an actor that commits fully to his roles, but he’s also an actor that goes extremely far too much of the time. Therefore it stands to reason that the moment Oldman gives a performance that doesn’t rely on ludicrous histrionics, it stands out. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is Oldman at perhaps his most subtle. It is possibly the very antithesis of the performances that defined Oldman’s career, with his nuanced and quiet performance as George Smiley being perhaps his finest moment (other than Sid & Nancy, where his excess actually worked). Oldman is incredible in this film – intelligent, coldhearted and dedicated to finding answers. The encounters between Smiley and the other characters were master-classes in acting, as we see Oldman develop his character not through his words, but through the seemingly unnoticeable nuances he conveys in his performance through expression and movement. The ultimate irony is that for an actor who has made his career disguising himself in elaborate costumes, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is Oldman at his most unrecognizable, purely because of how different the performance is from nearly everything he has done before.

Yet, while Oldman does lead the cast with spectacular aplomb, it is far from being a film that only relies on his wonderful performance, and there are several standouts in the supporting cast, nearly all of them recognizable and acclaimed actors in their own right, each playing seemingly against type. I honestly cannot choose who I liked best from the supporting cast of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, because everyone is given tremendous moments. John Hurt was truly a visionary when it came to acting, and his warmth and fierce intelligence made every performance he gave impactful, which made his role as Control truly very special. Appearing almost entirely in flashback sequences, Hurt is the emotional core of this film and his revelation that he considers Smiley, his right-hand man, to be a possible suspect, is far more heartbreaking and shocking than it should be, which is a result of Hurt’s subtle but effective brilliance in this role. Colin Firth sheds his persona of being an effortlessly likable upper-class dandy to play a truly despicable character here, but in such a way that we cannot avoid loving his villainous performance. Toby Jones is as reliable as he always is, but with an added level of cruel vitriol and slimy nastiness. Mark Strong is also fantastic in this film and proves that he is one of the most underrated actors working today, with every performance he gives being deeply brilliant.

Two actors who were not entirely unknown by this point, but far less embraced as they are now, were Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hardy. Cumberbatch plays the loyal and dedicated assistant to Smiley, and as one of the only genuinely honest characters in the film, he is effortlessly endearing. The moments where we see Peter aspire to become to Smiley what Smiley was to control was a genuinely warm moment in an otherwise very cold film. Considering Cumberbatch would go on to play socially-awkward geniuses and the occasional villain, seeing him here as the dedicated sidekick was quite something. Tom Hardy, on the other hand, is also wonderful, and while his role isn’t as large as others, he does make a great impact as the ex-spy who simply wants to live his life without the burden of being haunted by his past. However, the less said about the wigs worn by Hardy and Cumberbatch, the better methinks.

Tomas Alfredson has a flair for the visual, and even when this film is almost entirely set in confined spaces such as apartments and department offices, he makes it look stunningly beautiful. The combination of subtle but effective production design and incredibly detailed photography by Hoyte van Hoytema (who is becoming one of the standout cinematographers working today) create an intimate but still deeply thrilling film. The way the Cold War is portrayed here is not something very common, with the framing showing that the focus is more on character and performance rather than on the actual driving factor of the story, which does sound less-than-ideal, but I assure you, it is a very good thing and makes Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy one of the most gorgeous and impactful films of its genre.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a wonderful film. It has a well-constructed story that is not overly complicated or too difficult to understand (a rare feat for such a film), and it is beautifully made. However, the success of this film is due to the actors and the screenplay, as these characters are well-developed and fascinating. It is a film that cares deeply about creating well-formed, fully-rounded characters that are not archetypal figures, but rather gloriously interesting individuals, with every actor getting something wonderful to do. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a film that is not particularly exciting on the outset – there is very little physical action, and it is a slow-burner in terms of pace. However, once you are fully-invested in Smiley’s mindgames, it becomes an enthralling and deeply entertaining experience. A fantastic piece of cinema, and proof that Tomas Alfredson is a genius, and that the work of John le Carré is inherently masterful, even when committed to screen.