On the Blueprint with A Most Wanted Man

In 2004 the Swedish director Tomas Alfredson directed Tinker Tailor Solider Spy based on the novel by John le Carre. This had a raft of famous faces and did not shy away from le Carre’s multi stranded complex narrative. This film not only went on to be a huge critical success (nominated for many awards), but also a commercial success. A smart box office hit.

This year, Dutch filmmaker Anton Corbijn directed A Most Wanted Man based on the novel by John le Carre. This has one major American star of incomparable talent and does not shy away from le Carre’s multi stranded complex narrative. This film has to date been a moderate critical success and time will tell if it reaches the same levels of commercial success that Tinker Tailor did. But it doesn’t look good.

Film history is full of examples of studios and producers trying to recreate the success of other films by replicating what they see as a blueprint for success. Some would suggest there is no blueprint, that films are products of their specific context more than how much they remind audiences of something previous. Although Marvel would prove this theory wrong.

A Most Wanted Man is not Tinker Tailor, although it has many themes in common: paranoia, fear, anxiety. While the latter dealt with more institutional concerns, the former looks at larger, more relatable fears of terrorism. And it is perhaps this ordinariness or seen-it-before mentality that makes A Most Wanted Man less of an impressive film that Tinker Tailor. 60s style becomes 2000s realism and despite the superb performance of Philip Seymour Hoffman the film just feels light weight, which is unusual for a film dealing with international terrorism.

However Le Carre’s narratives continue to offer gripping stories and serious, adult thrillers are always welcome.