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I really enjoyed it and thought it looked stunning, I can't think of a film which captures a time more brilliantly or is as evocative of the period (unless it was shot then!).

But the sets are almost so good that I found myself distracted and staring at lamps and missing bits of dialogue. My other reservation is how real the characters are - other than Smiley who is amazingly done by G Oldman reining it all in, much respect to him.

Thought it was a little over-rated/overhyped, TBH. I did love the look and feel of it, and the mix of extremely dangerous work with the banality of offices, which I thought was beautifully evoked and rendered.

The plot though wasn't that gripping and seemed a bit perfunctory. I haven't seen the mini-series but suspect that with seven hours or however long it took, they were able to really get into plot and character and backstory in a way the film didn't.

This is heretical I know, but I didn't think Oldman was all that amazing ... good, yes, but not mind-blowingly good. I also thought Tom Hardy was not great, although some reviewers have picked him as one of their standouts. For me Mark Strong was the best by a country mile; simply exceptional for every second he was on screen. Benedict C was excellent as Guillam – nervy (made me feel tense!), and his chemistry with Smiley and the way they communicated so much to each other through nothing but silences, looks and body language was fantastic. The scene after Guillam is told 'If there's anything you need to clear up do it now' was heart-breaking. He got so much across while seemingly doing so little 'acting'. I also loved Kathy Burke and John Hurt, and Toby Jones was reliably unnerving but fascinating.

All in all, good but possibly not 'film of the year' or whatever plaudits it has received and will continue to receive.

very interesting to read what you think. My friend who saw it with me has read the book and remembers the series well and she thought it was excellent.
I just wonder whether the incredible effort put in the style didn't very slightly underpower the content/narrative drive and maybe even the performances. I mean I can't think of a more amazing looking period drama from more modern times.

Also I'm by no means a plot spotter, nor do I remember the book, but I thought the mole was massively obvious from the beginning! Did you think so?
You are so right about Mark Strong, great performance, actually he seemed the most real but also, he did have some of the meatiest emotions to express I guess. Toby Jones is too much Truman Capote to me now for me to see beyond the Scottish accent really. But I also agree about Cumberbatch, he's just an amazing actor isn't he?

I really really did not like it one little bit. Hugely overhyped.

However . . . I do think that LadyClarice* has given a much better review of it than my kneejerk 'oooh, it was boring' one . . .

Would certainly never watch it again (and wanted to leave on a number of occasions and see something I could enjoy even on an unworthy, completely superficial level).

I agree it was a bit of a case of style over substance, but strangely I didn't mind that too much. In fact I'd probably say it was style and 'feel for period and work environment' over substance, which in my book is a bit better than just style.

I didn't think the mole was obvious but then I am always rather hopeless at second-guessing plots, twists etc, and don't try to guess them either as I like to be carried along by the thing. In a way I don't think it matters that much; the 'action' or driver of the film was, IMO, the examination and unpicking of the various work relationships and characters involved, the way in which Smiley goes about his investigations, and the culture of the secret service/civil service at the time. I have a little theory that if someone were writing that storyline today, there'd be a massive twist involving a highly unlikely/surprising mole. But this story is more concerned with painting a mood and a work environment for the characters, and the plot is of a fairly basic procedural 'how he came to his conclusion' type.

I agree Mark Strong probably had the plum role. Would actually love to see Cumberbatch have a run at playing that character; he may look a bit too young, but otherwise I think he'd nail it. It was a very meaty role indeed. I haven't seen Toby Jones in the Truman Capote film so I'm not hampered by that memory! I love him; he's always fab IMO.

Sorry you weren't keen, Kitchen!

Saw it today and loved it. I didn't see the TV adaptation.

I didn't like it either. Thought it was very overated and just okish.

I really didn't enjoy it. I hadn't read the book/seen any other adaptations before going. I think the problem was I wasn't concentrating enough at the start, got confused in Hungary and thought the guy on the floor was dead and then because I was already confused I got more confused and then I got lost and then because I was lost I was bored.

It's a very long film if you are bored.

Everyone else I have spoken to loved it though, and made me feel like an uncultured fool.

DH and I saw it the other night. I loved the atmosphere and most performances. Great to see Oldman stop munching scenery and start acting again. Mark Strong and Benedict C. fantastic. Kathy Burke - terrible 'posh' accent - made an effort but really awful. Like bloody Dick van Dyke in Mary Poppins. Why not just cast someone who was convincing? Loved the restraint of it all apart from that, the lack of histrionics. BUT totally missed how Smiley worked out who the mole was. I suspected but for no good reason - just thought it was likely Colin Firth would be cast in that role after all his romantic/good chap stuff - make it more unlikely etc. What was the key line of dialogue that clicked in Smiley's head - loved the train track device to show his moment of revelation - but I completely missed what he had realised. Can anyone help?!

Anyone help with this?!

issynoko, I'll PM you what Smiley realised at the train-track moment, as I don't think spoilers are fair to other readers.

I liked seeing Colin Firth and Mark Strong as such good mates, after enjoying their turn as football-supporting mates in the film Fever Pitch.

I fell asleep and so glad I didn't pay for it god bless O2 priority tickets

Belfast Bloke - thanks! Agree - don't want to spoil it for others but would love to be enlightened!

issy - I wrote you the PM; did you not receive it?

Hi BelfastB - no I haven't got the PM. Still puzzled!

Have sent PM again. Geddit?

No! Still not there! Very odd. Perhaps you could leave the information on a park bench etched into Sunday's crossword.

Am gagging to see this. It hasn't been released in Oz yet.
I saw the original TV series and know the novel well.

Can't wait, <salivating emoticon>

No, it isn't being released in the USA until December, either. Something about Oscar season...

A review in the "Oldie" praised the TV series over this film, which has yet be released in Oz.

I got the unabridged audiotape of the novel from the library, read by someone who channels Kenneth Williams' via John Hurt's Quentin Crisp in his delivery.

I lost my copy of the novel years ago, but am entranced by this reading. Even if the reader doesn't know where a full stop goes. I actually look forward to going to work because I listen to this in the car.