A veteran performer of 30 years, Gary Oldman might be one of the finest A-list stars around. In the midst of mediocrity, he finds a way to transcend, and with the guidance of a promising new director and a smorgasbord of Britain’s finest contemporary actors, he’s an unstoppable force. “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” is what happens when an espionage thriller proves that the spy game needs little more than top notch acting to dish out the intrigue.

Gary Oldman, playing the role of George Smiley in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”, brings intellect and intrgiue to the spy game, rather than car chases and fancy weapons. (Photo courtesy of Focus Features)

After Control (John Hurt) sends Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) on an unsanctioned mission that becomes an international incident, Control’s (I can’t help myself) control of MI-6 comes to a sudden conclusion. When he leaves, longtime agent George Smiley (Oldman), Control’s right hand man, retires to a life of eating alone and swimming with senior citizens. But as Michael Corleone learned so long ago, it’s impossible to get out of the game for good.

British Intelligence’s Civil Servant Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney) informs Smiley of a possible mole in the Circus, as the agency is called, and our aged protagonist feels obligated to run the investigation since one of his former colleagues — Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), Roy Bland (Ciarán Hinds), Toby Esterhase (David Dencik) or Bill Haydon (Colin Firth) — might have tarnished the defeats and victories that compose the near-entirety of Smiley’s life. Teaming up with young spy Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) and rogue agent Ricki Tar (Tom Hardy), Smiley uncovers a buried conspiracy years in the making.

This is Oldman’s show, and as expected, he doesn’t disappoint. Normally, he’s the headstrong supporting cast member. He’s Commissioner Gordon in the shadow of Batman. He’s Sirius Black serving as a father figure for Harry Potter. He’s Zorg hunting the Fifth Element. And now he’s a public servant (nope, private servant) whose docile demeanor masks the seasoned wheels turning. Rather than bother with enthusiastic speeches about the need for his line of work, he saves all his energy for the real spy work…and it’s not full of cool weapons, chases and 10-on-one fights. He reads people and follows the paper trail. He listens while others make his job much easier when they make mistakes.

With amazing names, from Jones to Firth, this is a character film of the finest kind. But a newer face rises above the very impressive thespians fold. Cumberbatch as Peter Guillam captures the insecurity of a new member of the theatre of lies. In “Atonement” and “War Horse”, he was the epitome of properness (making his performance as an eccentric Sherlock Holmes in the BBC show “Sherlock” all the more impressive). In “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”, he quickly finds that proper has no place in a career where trust is as rare as a “Nessie” sighting. The facade wears off, and all that remains is a thin disguise tested in the field.

While “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” received all the attention and excitement for its franchise potential (with the two other books to serve as film installments), “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” is the more promising multi-film series based on seven books by John le Carré featuring the spy tales of George Smiley, written from 1961 to 1990 (though there is a 26-year gap between the sixth and seventh).

Director Tomas Alfredson caught the eye of many critics with the Swedish vampire film, “Let the Right One In”, which became an American remake by the name “Let Me In”. Thus “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” is that much more significant: will he succeed or plummet into one-hit-wonderdom? Thank God and country, he’s a director who can create a full album of interest. He knows how to take his time and let a story unravel through flashbacks and current events told in detective fashion. Much like film noir, this isn’t a happy story, but something more akin to an organized crime saga. There’s no redemption, even when the country’s safe; there’s only the ongoing struggle against those you think are your friends.

“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” is an espionage film like few others. It might be slow, but it’s never dull –– an unexpected accomplishment in the age of Jason Bourne and Ethan Hunt. Oldman is a delight on screen, and hopefully this film will help him get a few more solo gigs soon.