Review: 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' on 4K Captures the Isolation of Cold War Agents

Tomas Alfredson's critically-acclaimed 2011 screen adaptation of one of John le Carré's most popular spy novels, "Tinker Tailor Solder Spy," is a strange choice for 4K, on the surface. It's a stark and chilly slow-burn character study, but one becomes increasingly aware of the importance of the Cold War look and just how claustrophobically essential Hoyte van Hoytema's cinematography is to the film's powerful payoff.

It's 1973 and a British intelligence operation goes horribly wrong, which makes Control (John Hurt) wonder if there is a mole (double agent) leaking secrets to the Soviets. Spy extraordinaire George Smiley (Gary Oldman) comes out of retirement to sleuth out the traitor. Along the way, we are let into the desolate world of the spy, brimming with betrayals, secrets, and lies.

Alfredson's ("Let the Right One In") pacing choice in the first hour doesn't make for a very exciting start, but thanks to the performances of some of Britain's best, including the outstanding Kathy Burke, Ciarán Hinds, Benedict Cumberbatch Mark Strong, Colin Firth and, especially, Tom Hardy, the film is quite absorbing.

And then there's Gary Oldman, who received his very first Oscar nomination for his Smiley – shocking, when you realize he also made "Sid & Nancy," "Prick Up Your Ears," and "JFK," and went unrecognized. Oldman underplays magnificently until more is needed.

The script, by Peter Straughan and Bridget O'Connor, was also Oscar nominated, along with the score (by Alberto Iglesias).

What the film does so well is allow the audience to experience the lonely and isolated world these men (and women) were forced to exist in. It also establishes that great sense of paranoia that pervaded the time.

The 4K is a true treat, and the Blu-ray disc offers additional features, including small chats with some of the cast, a doc, and an audio commentary. But the cherry on this Blu-ray cake is a 32-minute deep-dive conversation with le Carré, where he discusses being in the intelligence community and how Smiley came into being.

4K UHD Extras Include:
4KUHD DISC 1: