

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
George Smiley, the aging master spy of the Cold War and once heir apparent to Control, is brought back out of retirement to flush out a top level mole within the Circus. Smiley must travel back through his life and murky workings of the Circus to unravel the net spun by his nemesis Karla 'The Sandman' of the KGB and reveal the identity of the mole before he disappears.
Critics Sentiment
Smiley and Guillam wait at safe house to catch mole
Bill Haydon revealed as mole and arrested by Smiley
The film builds to its highest tension during the safe house trap sequence, then drops significantly when the mole's revelation feels anticlimactic to many viewers.
Critics consistently praised the film's atmospheric direction, period authenticity, and Gary Oldman's masterful performance, while frequently noting the plot's complexity made it difficult to follow for uninitiated viewers. The film maintains strong critical appreciation throughout most of its runtime, building effectively to a tense climax, though the final revelation disappointed some as understated. Overall, reviewers recognized it as a sophisticated, well-crafted adaptation that demands attention and rewards careful viewing.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 46
Gary Oldman
George Smiley

Colin Firth
Bill Haydon

Tom Hardy
Ricki Tarr

John Hurt
Control

Toby Jones
Percy Alleline

Mark Strong
Jim Prideaux

Benedict Cumberbatch
Peter Guillam

Ciarán Hinds
Roy Bland

David Dencik
Toby Esterhase

Kathy Burke
Connie Sachs

Stephen Graham
Jerry Westerby

Simon McBurney
Oliver Lacon

Svetlana Khodchenkova
Irina

Roger Lloyd Pack
Mendel

Konstantin Khabenskiy
Polyakov

Christian McKay
Mackelvore

Zoltán Mucsi
Magyar

Péter Kálloy Molnár
Hungarian Waiter

Ilona Kassai
Woman in Window

Imre Csuja
KGB Agent
Crew
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