Having had some completely exhausting days, I decided to see an underrated movie and so I came across one of the jewelry of the cinema. But it is a gem with foreign inscriptions that not everyone will decipher.

The film I’m talking about is “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”, an adaptation of John le Carre’s book. This movie is perhaps a gem polished too much, which is why some find it harder to discern.

Initially, I started the film at a late hour, already tired. I was not trained for what was meant to follow. So soon I fell asleep, my tired mind failed to keep pace with the slow pace of the film, with complex scenes and flashbacks. But I realized from the start that it deserved to be given more attention. So the next day I continued the film from where I left it, this time in broad daylight. It has proven to be a well-deserved break.

Before you watch the film you should know that it is at a slow pace. But do not underestimate it and do not judge it from the beginning. Pay attention to every detail for each symbol has a meaning. And slowness is meant to give you the time needed to perceive the action and notice the details.

Be mindful right from the beginning! For example, in the first minutes of the film appears the protagonist looking at a painting. Remember the picture and you’ll thank me later. Although it initially seems a simple stage image, the painting is the true image of betrayal.

image creditAlthough it is a film about espionage in the bleak days of the Cold War, well, it’s not an action movie, as you would expect. The genre is heading more towards mystery, drama, and murder. The overall feeling is about melancholy and late autumn.

The events seem to follow the principle of dominoes, where an action affects the other, which in turn influences another. Many times throughout the film you may have a revelation like “Ah! Now I understand!”.

I personally saw this movie as a mental challenge. It’s just like when you’re trying to fit the pieces of a puzzle or like a game of logic: spot the difference and try to escape the room. It’s like the creator wanted to test my patience, my ability to find clues and making connections.

Besides this, I thought that the characters were fascinating. They were so well drawn in the story, that I came to love them throughout the film. You will find a lot of types of characters and stories, including the fair leader who gets eliminated; his retired “Right hand” who returns to make justice; the inside agent that helps to uncover the truth; the agent who knows more than he should, defamed and despised; the obsequious agent who becomes a minion and thus becomes a traitor; the betrayer-friend; the enemy, a reflection of the past.

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The emotional relationship between the characters is also very interesting: like even the enemies are not enemies entirely. Everything is treated with a superiority in thinking, just as when you managed to reach the highest peak of a mountain and it all seems so small. The characters seem to get over the events with an incredible detachment from the past, while they are still focused and emotionally involved in the present.

image creditIt’s about strategy, liability, betrayal, sacrifice, love, friendship and competition.

It was the first and only movie that I’ve watched for the 2nd time as soon as I finished it. I wanted to understand it better and it was like a game of logic, I did not get bored at all. And I can say that the characters made it enjoyable, played by some excellent actors such as Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch.

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