First Impressions of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

The best spy film of the decade does not play host to James Bond or Jason Bourne. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, adapted from John Le Carre’s celebrated novel of the same name, offers a unique take on the shady underworld of international espionage. Tomas Alfredson, director of the chillingly beautiful Let the Right One In, abandons the girls, guns and action that have become synonymous with the genre. Instead, Tinker Tailor launches an assault of malicious whispering, unbearable silence and sweat inducing tension. This is a film in which the smallest of details register in a big way.

Set in London in the early 1970’s, Tinker Tailor focuses on the lives of those employed by the British secret service. A disastrous operation in Budapest leads to the sacking of Control (John Hurt) and his right hand man, George Smiley (Gary Oldman). When it becomes clear that one of his former colleagues is a double agent, Smiley is lured back into the world of international espionage to identify the traitor. What ensues is a complex tale of betrayal, corruption and deceit.

Tinker Tailor boasts an ensemble cast showcasing the very best acting talent Britain has to offer. Man of the moment Tom Hardy plays the rough and ready Ricki Tarr, a British agent operating in Russia. It is Tarr who first discovers the double agent in the midst of the secret service, and Hardy is typically convincing as a man living on the edge, oozing both vulnerability and guilt whilst maintaining the tough image associated with the man who beat batman to a pulp. Benedict Cumberbatch excels as Peter Guillam, Smiley’s closest ally, demonstrating an emotional depth lacking in his portrayal of Mr Holmes in the BBC’s primetime drama Sherlock. Familiar faces Colin Firth, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Kathy Burke and Toby Jones are all stellar throughout, each cast perfectly in their respective roles.

Despite the strong performances from the supporting cast, the film rests heavily on the shoulders of its protagonist; George Smiley. Gary Oldman has carved out an extremely successful career through his numerous portrayals of villainy. Indeed, the villains of Oldman are a loud, overstated breed; think of his appearances in True Romance, Leon and the Fifth Element. Only recently, with his roles in both the Harry Potter and Dark Knight franchises, has Oldman been seen to portray the hero. In a career littered with defining performances, Smiley stands as the most impressive of them all; the jewel in the crown.

Oldman is almost undoubtedly the best working actor without an Oscar nomination to his name. In this respect, it is easy to see the similarities between Smiley and the man portraying him; both are overlooked, underappreciated and shun public attention. Both are utterly dedicated to their respective crafts. Alfredson presents Smiley as a true mystery; an unsolvable riddle with which the audience are expected to engage. Framing, lighting and setting are utilised in order to distance Smiley from the viewer, making the aging spy seem all the more enigmatic. Also, at numerous points in the film the spectacles of Smiley play host to reflections, effectively hiding the character’s eyes from the audience. This is by no means unintentional on the part of Alfredson. If one is to refer to the old English proverb which describes the eyes as the windows of the soul, what can be said of Smiley?

Mysteriously, Tinker Tailor proved both a critical and commercial success, despite leaving audiences bewildered by its complex narrative. Certainly, a large part of the films allure is rooted in the considerable challenge of keeping up with events as they unfold on screen, yet Tinker Tailor can be seen to offer more than just a gripping story. Indeed, Tinker Tailor devastatingly depicts the toll that such a profession can take on a human life; Smiley himself stands as a testament to the sacrifices that a spy must endure.

One criticism that seems to be levelled at Tinker Tailor is that the big reveal isn’t the gut wrenching experience it ought to be. True, the unmasking of the double agent does present itself as an anti-climax; the audience are deprived of Smiley’s initial confrontation with the traitor he has so doggedly pursued. But so what? Tinker Tailor is a film concerned with people, not in entertaining the masses solely through its narrative. Indeed, the mole’s identity is actually of little concern, it is the journey of Smiley that really demands our attention.

Alfredson layers the filmic journey of Smiley with plenty of subtle hints which allow us to identify the double agent. When Smiley labels the chess pieces, the Russian informant Polyakov is a black rook, and Bill Haydon is tellingly posted on the white rook. Early in the film, Smiley sits in his house studying the painting given to him by Bill Haydon, in a sense looking at Bill himself, thus establishing the two as nemeses from the start. Perhaps most obviously, in one of his earliest lines Control states that “a man should know when to leave the party”. Later in the film, during a flashback to a Christmas party, Bill Haydon “leaves the party” to be with Smiley’s wife as his colleagues sing the USSR anthem, thus leaving little doubt to the identity of the traitor in the finale.

Tinker Tailor is undeniably a thriller for grown-ups. Themes of betrayal and corruption are prevalent, and important clues required to solve the narrative puzzle are subtle. Alfredson deserves praise for his refusal to compromise; the audience are treated as equals; as (dare I say it) intelligent. Combine this lack of compromise with its grainy imagery, and a formal composition of long lens shots, rack-focus, tracking shots and a drab colour palette; Tinker Tailor could be mistaken for a film of the 1970’s.

With its Terrence Malick like pacing, melancholy tone and demanding narrative, Tinker Tailor is certainly not a film for everyone. Yet those who can stomach the demands of Alfredson will be rewarded with what is one of the most compelling, intelligent and downright beautiful films in many, many years. The glacial atmosphere drips from every frame, and the minute details of Alfredson’s world are inhaled by the viewer. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy can genuinely lay claim to be the best espionage film ever made. So it’s true what they say; slow and steady wins the race…

A Closer Look at The Fountain (2006)

It would seem that relatively few people have actually heard of The Fountain, let alone seen it. Yet, in my humble opinion, Darren Aronofsky's third full length feature was the best film of 2006. So how has a film like The Fountain managed to disappear?

Possibly the rumoured production issues played a part in the films failure to find an audience. Indeed, Hollywood heavyweights Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett were originally cast in the lead roles, with Aronofsky gifted a $70 million budget with which to experiment. However, due to unforeseen circumstances the stars dropped out and were replaced by the significantly less commercial Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. On top of this, the budget was slashed by $35 million.

In addition, the polarised responses of critics surely scared audiences away from The Fountain. Perhaps the concept of the film itself simply didn't appeal to a mass audience. Whatever the reason, The Fountain remains a grossly under-appreciated film.

The Fountain is comprised of three stories which interweave over the course of a thousand years. All three narratives star Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz in the lead roles. The first story is set during the Spanish inquisition, and follows a conquistador’s quest to find the Tree of Life in order to save his beloved Queen. The second tale - the centrepiece of the narrative - concerns a scientist’s desperate attempt to cure cancer, with the intention of saving his dying wife. The third and final piece of the puzzle follows a man travelling through space and into the heart of a dying star, whilst nurturing a slowly decaying tree.

First things first; any reservations about the casting are immediately dispelled. Hugh Jackman shows an emotional depth that I would never have thought him capable of. His is a powerhouse performance of raw emotion. Indeed, it’s hard to believe that this is an actor who made a name for himself playing Wolverine in those boring X-Men movies; this is Hugh Jackman as we have never seen him before. Weisz doesn't disappoint in her various roles either, although she isn't quite operating on the same level as her opposite number. Her performance is eerily reminiscent of her portrayal of Tessa Quayle in The Constant Gardener a year earlier. That isn't to say Weisz is anything less than stellar throughout, but this is well trodden ground for her. This being said, she clearly has great on screen chemistry with fellow star Jackman, a crucial factor in a film dealing so intimately with the love shared by the two characters.

Clint Mansell, long-time collaborator of Aronofsky, returned to create a score for The Fountain, and to devastating effect. Although not quite matching the climatic symphony of Requiem for a Dream, Mansell infuses The Fountain with a suitably melancholic, yet hopeful theme. The score is continually twisted and manipulated to varying degrees for each of the three intertwining stories. It is only in the climax of The Fountain that we are treated to the full, combined effect of Mansell’s orchestration.

Aronofsky himself describes his film as a very simple love story about a man and woman in love, with the woman dying young. He claimed to be inspired by those who die young, and marveled at how they came to terms with their own demise. He recognised, in what he refers to as an incredible tragedy; that the patients would often die more alone because of the inability of their friends and family to fully comprehend what was happening to them. This feeling of isolation is what inspired him to make The Fountain.

Death is an implicit part of life, and for those of us who have experienced one of its many forms The Fountain is sure to resonate profoundly. What can we do when faced with death? This is essentially the question The Fountain attempts to tackle.

The theme of death is clearly prevalent throughout the film. Jackman’s conquistador is willing to do anything in order to prevent the demise of his Queen, even if it ultimately means losing his own life. Similarly, the scientist attempting to cure cancer is clearly doing so with the motivation to save his beloved wife from succumbing to the illness. The third narrative is also closely tied to death; Jackman is trying to save the decaying tree by travelling into the very heart of the dying star. In short, all three stories deal with mankind finding a solution to death.

The search for eternal life is perhaps the ultimate human endeavour. It may take many forms; the quest for the Holy Grail, the cure for cancer, or the search for the Tree of Life. What The Fountain would propose, is that this endeavour is one of futility. The characters of Weisz know this, they suggest that the truth of life is death; it is what makes us special. Immortality itself can only be achieved through death. Indeed, I think one of the taglines of the film was “what if you could live forever?” Although slightly misleading, this is a core theme of The Fountain; the idea that only in death can we truly “live forever”.

The idea of confronting death is prevalent not only in the narrative, but through the subtle manipulation of the films form. The key theme of fearing death is portrayed throughout The Fountain as a journey from darkness into light, which can be seen quite literally by looking at the lighting of the characters. In the beginning, all of Jackman’s characters are kept out of key light; they are only seen in silhouette. As his characters develop and the stories progress, the lighting on Jackman increasingly grows brighter. This is to convey the characters journey from darkness into light, as he finally comes to terms with the idea of death being a part of life. In contrast, the characters of Weisz are flooded with light in all three of the stories; she is already enlightened to the truth of life.

For all of its complexities, The Fountain delivers a profoundly simple message. Despite our great wealth of knowledge, most people are still afraid to die. Like the character of Jackman in the final act, we must confront death alone. In order to truly defeat death, we must simply learn to accept it.

Aronofsky's love poem to death is devastatingly personal film making on an epic scale. Love it or hate it, The Fountain is a film sure to be admired for decades to come.