Tomas Alfredson’s adaptation of John le Carré 1974 spy novel, previously made into a BBC mini-series starring Alec Guinness, is certainly not one for ADD-afflicted consumers of amped-up spy escapism a la Bourne/Bond. Gary Oldman, in a remarkably reserved performance, stars as George Smiley, a former British Intelligence Deputy who’s been pulled out of retirement to covertly investigate a claim by an agent that there’s a mole in the top ranks of the “Circus”. Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch plays the intel officer assigned to assist Smiley in the investigation, which unfolds in a convoluted, regularly flashing-back plot. Chilly but richly textured and immaculately performed, the unfashionably Cold War-set Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy stews in its clandestine atmosphere, forcing the audience to process a wealth of spy-speak on top of an already-snaking mole-hunt. Lest we switch off, the seductive meticulousness of Alfredson’s (Let The Right One In) execution - rich in period and milieu detail - and the uniform strength of the powerhouse Brit ensemble (Oldman! Firth! Hinds! Hurt! Strong! Hardy!) ensure the film is nothing less than absorbing even if you may not entirely comprehend the specifics of its narrative.