Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Nobody in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy explains anything, ever, and if you blink during a conversation about a file, you’re lost until the credits. Tomas Alfredson keeps the whole thing hushed and brown, full of men in big glasses murmuring in smoky rooms, and the first hour is a real test of patience. Pass it and the payoff is huge. Gary Oldman barely raises his voice as George Smiley, and he’s mesmerizing, a quiet man who lets everyone else talk until they slip. Benedict Cumberbatch has a nervy scene sneaking a logbook out of the archive that will make your palms sweat. Tom Hardy brings real heartbreak as Ricki Tarr. Colin Firth, Toby Jones and Ciarán Hinds make every suspect look guilty. The flashbacks to an office Christmas party get funnier and sadder each time. It made $81.5 million worldwide on a reported $21M. An 8.3 because it trusts you completely, and it’s worth the homework. $3,502 says you squint at your next office party photo and start ranking coworkers by how likely they are to be a spy.

What works: Gary Oldman’s controlled, watchful Smiley is a masterclass, and the cast of suspects makes every glance feel loaded.

What doesn’t: The plot is dense and barely explained, and the slow, murmured first hour will lose anyone who isn’t giving it full attention.

Who it’s for: People who like their spy stories quiet, patient and full of paperwork, and who don’t mind a second viewing to catch everything.