Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

I went to see this movie Sunday and I am still wondering what I think of it. I wouldn’t say it was a bad movie but my head is still trying to wrap around it. It was definitely a different movie and by different I don’t mean bad. It just isn’t what you expect from movies. Maybe it just isn’t what you expect from current movies.

I am actually drawn to the mini-series and the book. I want to see what was changed, what stayed the same etc. The concept of the movie was great but you actually have to pay attention and think. Even then it is still confusing. I went with four other people and after we all asked if the others had difficulty following along at parts. I am wondering if we had background (ie the book or mini series) that the movie would have been simpler to follow. I could see where the book and mini series would have more time to develop characters and plots than a movie.

The acting was excellent but what else can you expect from Gary Oldman and Colin Firth? Even the actors I am not that familiar with did a great job. I really liked the actor that played Peter. I also liked that instead of using HD or 3D, they went grainy. It actually looked like you are watching a movie from the 60s/70s.

I did like that I didn’t figure it out right away. Lately it seems I have been figuring out movies and tv shows and it is kind of a let down. This film had you believing it was one character when it was really another. I had a feeling it wasn’t the character they were trying to point you to but couldn’t quite figure out who it really was.

I think the most confusing part was the flashbacks. The only way to really know what was a flashback was to look at Oldman’s characters glasses. At the start of the film he goes and gets new eye glasses and they make a very big show of old to new. At first, I couldn’t figure out why this was important until a flashback. Also, the flashbacks seemed a tab more grainy than the rest of the movie.

I kind of felt the ending was wrapped up quickly after a long drawn out movie. I think a few areas could have been made shorter (parts got long) and the unraveling getting a little more focus.

Overall, if you want a thinking movie with a decent ending, I would highly recommend this. If you aren’t into watching a movie you have to pay attention to or really think, skip it. Or watch it at a time when you are ready to pay attention.

And hopefully you won’t have a guy in the row ahead of you snoring loudly the entire time! It was quite distracting.