Tinker’s a Thinker: The Return of Great Cinematography

A mere 10 minutes into Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was enough to convince me of its stunning achievements in cinematography. This is some of the best camera work I’ve seen all year, and though that isn’t saying much considering the majority of 2011’s rather disappointing offerings, Tinker Tailor can nonetheless proudly lay claim to the title. Having just opened in a wide release earlier this month, there’s no question the British Tinker Tailor is a smart, sensible thriller worth checking out.

Directed by Tomas Alfredson and based on the novel by John le Carré, the film is set in the 1970s during the Cold War and follows British intelligence agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) coming out of retirement to investigate the possibility of a mole within MI6, planted by the Soviet Union and responsible for a botched mission in Hungary. Smiley begins investigating choice members of the agency, unsure of who can still be trusted.

Tinker Tailor shines brightly in a year littered with disappointments. A subtle, intriguing spy thriller, this level of sophisticated filmmaking is practically unseen in English-language cinema today. It’s first and foremost a thinking person’s movie, requiring the viewer’s full attention and proving a high contrast to the likes of James Bond and Mission: Impossible. The film almost resembles a theatrical play, boasting an eloquent script that crafts a melodramatic expose on British intelligence during the Cold War. While certainly the film’s quiet nature makes it feel a bit distant emotionally, it manages to infuse just enough lingering paranoia in its audience to keep things interesting.

As mentioned, Tinker Tailor’s defining quality is its smooth, precise cinematography. Every shot of the film is entirely fitting and unique – one shot sees the camera moving along with a safe lift that transports documents from floor to floor of MI6.  It’s also a great-looking film, carefully staged to reflect its 1970s European setting.  Alfredson crafts some truly memorable imagery in his meticulous adaptation, including the portraits of each of the members of command crudely taped to a corresponding chess piece, as well as the yellow/black diagonal patterns on the wall of the meeting room in MI6.

Gary Oldman once again demonstrates outstanding talent as an actor, delivering a brilliantly restrained, pitch-perfect performance as George Smiley. The role has earned the actor a well-deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and it’s been a long time coming. Even the smallest of details, like Oldman’s (ahem) old man voice really get to the heart of a tired, aged individual who’s seen more in the business than he’d probably care to have. The actor is joined by an all-star cast of Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, John Hurt, Colin Firth, and Toby Jones, all acclaimed actors who each ably carry their load and then some.

For the avid movie buff, there is little not to like about Tinker Tailor. If there is something wrong with the film, it stems from the film’s very apparent goal to be a bit too quiet.  Some will find the experience reasonably slow and dry at times, and by all accounts, a boost of intensity would’ve done more good than harm.  It’s also too easy for the even the most attentive viewer to get confused between flashbacks and present days scenes or even just misinterpret what’s going on. Several times, I found myself questioning if certain characters were dead, or if the film had only cut to another flashback.  In addition, Tinker Tailor assumes the viewer is familiar with a lot of British culture and terminology (MI6 is nicknamed “the Circus,” for example), which can be confusing for international audiences unfamiliar with the original novel or the general state of affairs in the time period.

Tinker Tailor is nonetheless one of the very best films of 2011. Its cinematography alone is worthy of recognition, and its performances, script, and staging are all top-notch. For those patient and attentive enough to see its merits, it’s a highly layered experience that is well worth a viewing.  Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has been nominated for 11 BAFTA awards including Outstanding British Film, and also received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor (Gary Oldman), Best Original Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay.