Director: Tomas Alfredson
Starring: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy
****
If the exact number of gunshots fired in every spy movie ever made were counted, along with car chases, daring motorcycle escapes and ballroom punch-ups - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy would probably place last on all counts. The thriller makes little attempt to compete with the likes of Bond, Bourne or Mission: Impossible for glamour, or showy set pieces. Instead, it offers an embarrassment of British acting talent, incredible dramatic tension and what could be the most accurate depiction of Cold War espionage ever set to screen.
Adapted from the bestselling novel by John le Carré - himself a veteran of British intelligence - the film deals with not just the corrosive atmosphere of mistrust, but also the gloom and drudgery of the 1970s spy game. The nicotine-stained era is masterfully recreated by the Swedish director Tomas Alfredson, whose 2008 film Let The Right One In was a refreshingly bleak and nuanced twist on the vampire genre.
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Film
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy stars Gary Oldman as the reserved and meticulous agent George Smiley, a role made famous by Alec Guinness in the 1979 BBC mini-series. Brought out of retirement by a government official, he learns that there is "a mole ... right at the top of the circus" - spook-speak for a Soviet double agent, embedded in a senior position in the British secret service.
Smiley begins to investigate four men: the new chief of the circus Alleline (Toby Jones), his deputy Haydon (Colin Firth), as well as their close allies Bland (Ciarán Hinds) and Estherhase (David Dencik). Meanwhile, a missing field agent (Tom Hardy) who was apparently responsible for learning about the mole in the first place but believed to have defected in Istanbul, arrives in London seeking Smiley's protection.
Like a high-stakes game of chess, long periods of quiet are broken with moves that seem subtle at first, but are revealed to have enormous consequences. As the men sit in their soundproofed conference room, we are forced to inspect every facial expression they make and ponder every word uttered. The toxic environment created by le Carré and Alfredson is the perfect arena for such a gladiatorial acting display.
When the pieces finally come together, the big reveal is as understated as one would expect from this story - something that may cause frustration for those who have worked overtime to keep up with the intricate plot. What's more, the film, with its melancholic, greying protagonist, has a somewhat cold and impersonal feel. But although there are in fact plenty of narrative rewards to be discovered in this thoroughly convincing depiction of Cold War espionage, the film's greatest achievement is its performances. Oldman is so restrained he practically whispers his lines, yet the effect can be as devastating as his most bombastic turns. Likewise the recent Oscar-winner Firth, who has moved from depicting a succession of cads to a series of far more sympathetic characters in recent years, here plays a man whose motivations are anyone's guess. When you have all that, who needs car chases?
artslife@thenational.ae
Race card:
6.30pm: Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh195,000 1,400m.
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,200m.
8.15pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,200m.
8.50pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 1,600m.
9.20pm: Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m.
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 2,000m.
Guide to intelligent investing
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The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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THE%20HOLDOVERS
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The winners
Fiction
- ‘Amreekiya’ by Lena Mahmoud
- ‘As Good As True’ by Cheryl Reid
The Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award
- ‘Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo’ by Oswaldo Truzzi; translated by Ramon J Stern
- ‘The Sound of Listening’ by Philip Metres
The George Ellenbogen Poetry Award
- ‘Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance’ by Fady Joudah
Children/Young Adult
- ‘I’ve Loved You Since Forever’ by Hoda Kotb
Squads
Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Babar Azam (vc), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz
Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara
