FILM REVIEW: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

There's a moment in the new version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy when George Smiley, the retired intelligence agent, is on a stakeout. He's perched in a room, waiting for his prey when the target approaches. He carefully slips off his shoes, putting black socks to hardwood.

Here's where fans of the original book by John le Carré might find their pulse quickening.

It's a bit of the ol' tradecraft: the special skill set Carré hinted at in his espionage novels. And yet, the shoe shedding is just a tease for the next time we see Smiley he's sitting at the table having a civilized chat with his intended target. That is the gist of this cinematic version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: short on tradecraft, but no shortage of staring matches

The passivity of John Le Carré's grey warrior will come as no surprise to fans of the original. The author created George Smiley as an ultimate anti-Bond. When the world was buzzing over the hairy-chested charm of Sean Conney as 007, Carré brought us into the twisty warren of the Circus -- the nickname for the British Secret Intelligence Service, aka MI6. While the Cold War played on in the background, Smiley fought legions of administrators, managers and, occasionally, actual spies.

He may not have had a Rolex that could shoot lasers, but Smiley's wits were always razor sharp. He could stand in the door of house that had been burgled and pick up the scent of the intruder lingering in the air. As the new Smiley, Gary Oldman retains the character's watchfulness. It's a quiet performance, where a single raised eyebrow is an emotional climax.

The story is one of the oldest in the spy game: Whack-a-Mole. With the death of his handler, Control (John Hurt), the retired Smiley is tasked with revealing the double agent Control suspected had burrowed his way to the top of MI6. Other than a sting gone wrong that begins Tinker Tailor, much of what follows is men sitting in rooms and talking.

But considering the plot, some compression was inevitable. Many may remember the Tinker Tailor miniseries starring Alec Guinness that played out in seven parts. Director Tomas Alfredson squeezes all of that into a tidy two hours -- and it shows.

Colin Firth is a bright spot in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. (eOne Films)

If there was an Oscar for the most horrible 1970s furnishings and colour scheme, Tinker Tailor would have the category nailed. Alfredson paints the screen with a thousand shades of brown and a rich tapestry of questionable combovers. The MI6 brain trust meet in a soundproof orange room where their tweed suits pop perfectly against the marmalade walls.

The best of Smiley's suspects (codenamed Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) is Bill, played with a smirk by Oscar-winner Colin Firth. In this land of drab, he's practically Lady Gaga, as he winks at secretaries while clad in a velvet trench that looks stitched together from scalped teddy bears.

The fab fashions are just part of the hazy nostalgia and paranoia hanging over Tinker Tailor. In one particular scene, a friend wistfully recalls the good times before Smiley reminds her they took place during the war. But that's life in the Circus, where -- with no clear opponents to fight -- the agents target each other.

There are a few moments that break up the monotony, including a particularly a powerful interrogation on an airfield as the propellers roar closer. It stands apart because it's one of the few scenes where there's some genuine malice in the air.

Taken as a whole, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy is a bit of cipher itself: a movie made up of hints and omissions. You'll have to conduct your own investigation on what didn't make the cut.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

Gary Oldman stars in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. (eOne Films)