The best movie I have seen in several years, however, had I not read the book and seen the BBC series of TTSS I would have had difficulty understanding the plot. And in order to completely understand all the subleties of the plot as well as the characters I will have to watch this movie at least once more.
George Smiley is brilliantly acted by Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy could not be better as Rikki Tarr and John Hurt is magnificent as Control. I think that all the actors portrayed their characters as John Le Carre had intended.
If you like to be challenged and love to analyze character and plot this is the movie for you.