Tinkered and tailored to be wonderful

Having neither read the book nor seen the television adaptation, I was pretty keen to see Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, having insulated myself from it bar that it was feted at the Cannes film festival and featured a magnificent performance by Gary Oldman as George Smiley, who is as far from James Bond as it is possible to get. While bad reviews may not fully tally with one’s perspective, good reviews tend to indicate something special.
It was a brilliant film, not least in making no concessions to short attention spans which I wholeheartedly applaud. Moreover, given what we know about KGB penetration of the British Secret Service it had a distinct air of truth. Then there was almost a roll-call of acting aristocracy not seeking to outdo each other but turning in convincing portrayals. The evocation of the 1970s was exceptional in its griminess and worn-out nature.
Having wound the gears up, like an expertly crafted music box, as everything falls into place it is amazing to behold. I was still seeing new connections emerge twenty minutes after I had left the cinema, proving that it not only stays in the mind but keeps the mind active too.