'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' remake is one that I might actually enjoy

Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 4:41 PM Central

by John Couture

On the same day that news broke that they were going to remake Point Break set in the world of extreme sports, I actually watched a trailer for a remake that I might enjoy.

As someone who has bashed remakes over and over again on this site, I was just as surprised as you by this news. Although, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy isn't technically a remake in the purest sense of the word, so I think I'm safe.

The "remake" is based the John le Carré novel by the same name that was produced as a BBC miniseries in 1979. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy the TV miniseries achieved a bit of a cult hit status as it stars Obi Wan himself Sir Alec Guinness in the lead role of retired intelligence expert George Smiley.

You know they don't call him Sir Alec Guinness for nothing, so it takes some real cojones to fill those rather large shoes. Thankfully, they found just the guy that I think can pull it off in Gary Oldman.

Oldman is a chameleon and he hits another home run as he's barely recognizable as the much older Smiley. Beyond Oldman, the rest of the cast reads like a who's who of talented British stars. Tom Hardy. Colin Firth. Mark Strong.

The premise is simple yet complex as Smiley is brought out of retirement to find a Russian mole in the upper echelons of the British Intelligence community. If you enjoyed Rubicon and were outraged that it was canceled like I was, then this movie is perfect for you.

The onesheet for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was released this week as well. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy hits theaters on December 9, 2011.

As an added treat, I found this fan-made trailer for the 1979 miniseries for your enjoyment and comparison to the above theatrical trailer for the upcoming film.