'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' trailer: Can you want to see a movie based on the music alone?

By Sarah Sluis

This week appears to be trailer week on Screener, since a number of high-profile films have released first-look teaser trailers. Today's trailer is for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which Focus is releasing stateside November 18th.

I fell in love with the trailer instantly because of its commanding, moody score. IMDB lists the composer as Johan Sderqvist, who also wrote the music for director Tomas Alfredson's 2008 Swedish film Let the Right One In. Alfredson is the other reason to see Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. His previous film was haunting and resonant, with a masterful command of tone and suspense which made it a hit with non-horror fans. I imagine Alfredson will do a similar thing with the spy film. Based on a John Le Carr novel, the trailer looks decidedly NOT like an adaptation of a mass-market book. The feel is more The Lives of Others and less The French Connection (a.k.a. lots of chase scenes). And it's definitely not a Bourne movie.

If this movie hits, I'm sure it will pick up a lot of Oscar nods. Gary Oldman stars as a British spy who's called back from retirement to help root out a Russian mole. Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Ciarn Hinds, and Tom Hardy round out the impressive cast. Even though the movie's releasing late in the year to help position it as awards material, it looks like a perfect summer thrill ride. What I would give to see this released in July, freeing viewers from the oppression of Transformers: Dark of the Moon.