Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - Review

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is the story of Cold War spy veteran George Smiley’s search for a mole in the highest level of the British Secret Service (a.k.a. the Circus). Based on the extensive and brilliant novel by John le Carre and following the footsteps of the critically acclaimed TV Mini Series with the epic Alec Guiness, this film has a lot to live up to. Luckily, under the pressure and high expectations placed on the script, cast and production they all deliver respectably. Gary Oldman is a heavy, melancholic and undeniably excellent George Smiley. Both Cumberbatch and Hardy uphold the hype around them with strong performances. And despite the undeniably Hollywood pretty-boy niche most of the cast fit in they deliver the right amount of raw human emotion that le Carre was trying to achieve. Most notably, Colin Firth, playing one of the most difficult roles in the admirable but heavily damaged Bill Haydon, is nothing short of impressive. Having read the book you might notice the fundamental simplification of the plot, but the only thing that may truly bug one is the seemingly unnecessary disruption of the order of events. With the lack of the thorough backstory le Carre provides the cast try their best to build, develop and break their characters in just over two hours, yet there is no time to even glimpse into David Dencik’s Toby Esterhase and Ciarán Hinds’s Roy Bland who get eaten up by the short script. Some of the scenes seem mildly relevant and at times the rapid scene-cutting-in-order-to-leave-questions-hanging-in-the-air might get annoying, but quintessentially the film grabs that one core idea that makes the story the heavy, suspenseful and dynamic thriller it is and despite its, at times obvious flaws (including the inevitable sex scene that is never mentioned in the book),without a single action scene or high speed car chase, it keeps alive that one thing which many modern film directors seem to purposefully eradicate (cough Micahel Bay cough)– a soul.

Mirela Ivanova

The Brand Bully

Latest research from UNICEF has revealed that “parents buy high status brands to protect their children from bullying.” I hope they did not spend too much money on the research as I could have given them that information for a tenner. I don’t know what it is with our society, but my theory is that the recession has driven people to carrying out useless and evident research in order to sustain the economy. I am sure UNICEF will also like to inform us know parents work and that’s why they don’t spend much time with their children. But, wait a second – they already have. In a study based in the UK, Spain and Sweden, UNICEF has concluded that UK parents “struggle to find enough time with their children”. Thank you, sergeant obvious. Next up someone will extensively research and eventually prove that prove humans are less likely to eat food if it is on the floor of a farm and covered in faeces. (I have copy righted this already, don’t even try.)

Despite the research’s uselessness the issue with bullying on the basis of possessions is not an new problem. Nor is it a solved one. With the construct of modern day teenager circles social materialism arises immediately. More often than not, however, the problem is entirely social, not psychological. 11 year olds do not really care whether its Nike or Adidas, they just want to run into trees and shout “poo”, but in order to get to that they need to present themselves a certain way. Adolescence has now become a carnival with a ticket that costs parents their hard work and children their individuality. It seems now, you cannot just be a teenager in order to enjoy carelessness and simple joys, but you also have to look, dress and speak like one. When I was 10, which was not so long ago, I assure you, everything was much simpler. You did what you wanted to do and that freedom made you a child, but as with everything in society, you have to be given boundaries in order to be protected. We can’t all enjoy the joyfulness of swings and roundabouts. This seems to be kids’ way of taking back the power. They don’t require much from you, to join. There is no exam, no interview, no personal statement – a 14 year-old has even outlined the candidate specification in the simplest terms – “You could live in a dustbin and as long as you have an IPod and a Blackberry you are accepted.” They are keen, but not discriminative. They are demanding, but not pushy. They are clear, but not complicated. They are the future of society. Soon, they will become my (and your) potential employers. Adults – prepare the BlackBerries.

Mirela Ivanova

The Jonathan Ross Show - Worth the wait?

Jonathan Ross has comfortably settled back into our TV screen, and finally, one and all has united into its favourite universal hobby – complaining. The complaint most often outlined remains the – “Uh, it’s the same thing though.” Now, I am not a big television fan, nor am I particularly observant or even a psychologist of any sort, yet was I the only person who did not at any point actually consider that Jonathan Ross will make any significant changes to his format when moving to ITV? I doubt that. I also doubt I was the only one who did not regret the similarity.

Ross is not what you turn to when you want your favourite actors face a thorough episode of soul searching, for such needs we look to Inside the Actor’s Studio, nor is Jonathan the place for full-gossip-and-laughs but no content, as Graham Norton provides that very service successfully enough. In fact, both of the shows mentioned fulfil a purpose. And the beauty of the Jonathan Ross Show (or Friday Night With… it makes no difference whatsoever) is his ability to balance both very nicely. The show is not too heavy on the viewer, it doesn’t leave you stressed out or particularly depressed, yet it is not hot-air entertainment which has you questioning the usefulness of the last hour you have spent listening to a story about Rihanna’s bikini wax. Ross has reached a well-rehearsed equilibrium of flattery, by proclaiming himself a huge fan of every-other-performer that has appeared and still managing to sound somewhat sincere, and having enough gut to ask one of the rising stars of British cinema, Benedict Cumbebartch, whether, in a recent theatre performance of Frankenstein he was, in fact, touching himself while waiting to appear naked to the public as the Monster. And it is his all-around goofy and yet sympathetic character that allows for this mixture of sharp, ranging to rude, comments to come off as lightly as, say, a feigned interest in one of the Saturdays’ “advanced sense of smell”.

We can try to avoid it, but Jonathan Ross is back as good as ever, and truly, as good as he can be. As I am on the verge to seem sponsored by ITV, I should like to point out that if there is anything I miss most it is the four puffs. Take them back will you! Surely, there wouldn’t be much work waiting for someone who’s CV is dominated by a singing career under the rather ambiguous name of “One of those Puffs who sang at the Jonathan Ross show”, but then again there could be a niche in the market. Now that’s an idea I’d like to see proposed to Deborah Meaden.

Mirela Ivanova

Cowboys and Aliens - Review

Cowboys and Aliens? No, no mistake at the box office there. This is a film about Cowboys and Aliens. And though many may glance at the A list names of Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Iron Man director Jon Favreau and conclude – well, it is unusual, but it must be good, it has to be admitted that the combination of state of the art Sci-fi and an old school western is nothing but ridiculous. Instead of grabbing the best of both genres and letting it commingle carefully, like a well-controlled nuclear reaction, the film manages to neatly pick out the biggest stereotypes of Westerns and Science Fiction and present us with an explosive mash up of the powerful manipulative villain in the little village and the slimy sleazy Alien vs. Predator extra-terrestrial life forms. Quite frankly, it’s difficult to take this film seriously the second alien attacks begin. Despite that, there are some notable performances, with House’s Olivia Wilde who makes her second blockbuster appearance in a film which Harrison Ford seems to have mistaken for the new Indiana Jones sequel, while Daniel Craig’s attempt at non-bond-talk and pulling off an Iron Man prop as a bracelet fail respectably. Wilde, however, does keep some dignity with her performance as the sidekick in an otherwise predictable plot. The film begins to drag on towards the end where everyone apart from Craig’s Jake Lonegran can now conclude this will end well. Wait, spoiler? Well, if you thought that was a spoiler then you might actually enjoy this film. Favreau’s directing is once again a massive-action-spot-on. The scenes do not drag on and the action is very well handled, sadly there is not enough script for Farveau to work with. Thus, Cowboys and Aliens takes potential and turns it into a dead-end-money-maker. Good for Hollywood, bad for, well… the viewers.

Mirela Ivanova