On arrival at the opening night of Cambridge’s 31st film festival, the Arts Picturehouse was buzzing with excitement. The festival is always a hugely popular event, drawing students back early, enticing all film-lovers to drop whatever they're doing and immerse themselves in fabulous cinematic offerings from all over the world for 10 days.

This year, the excitement was heightened by the promise of a premier screening of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

To add to the thrill of the film itself, I was lucky enough to meet and interview two of the stars, the legendary John Hurt and Gary Oldman, along with director Tomas Alfredson and screenwriter Peter Straughan. Having read countless rave reviews, it was fascinating to speak to those people personally involved in the creation of the film, and to hear their thoughts.

In a world of remakes and sequels, they were particularly keen to assert that this is not just a ‘revamp’. Indeed John Hurt was especially emphatic about this point – “OK there was a book, OK there was a TV series, but this is a film, it’s a piece of cinema, and that’s why I'm so pleased it’s here.”  This is refreshing to hear, and indeed it is evident throughout that, though the story may not be original, the film is utterly unique.

For those who don’t know, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy is probably the greatest cold war spy thriller novel, written by John Le Carré. The film is directed by Tomas Alfredson (Let The Right One In). Already tipped for Oscar nominations, Tinker Tailor has received phenomenal praise across the board; indeed, it has been suggested that this could be 2011’s The King’s Speech.

The film centres around George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a retired spy attempting to uncover a suspected mole within MI6 during the Cold War.  Yet this is merely the framework upon which the film hangs. Unlike so many espionage movies, Tinker Tailor is not heavy on gunfire, car chases, sex scenes – quite the contrary; it is a quiet, slow burning film which deeply explores the complexities of human relationships and betrayal, within the harsh Cold War setting.

Much of this, I’m sure, can be attributed to Alfredson, who brings to the film a level of maturity so familiar in European cinema - a far cry from the average Hollywood blockbuster.

The cast, too, is superb; Mark Strong gives an especially memorable performance, as does Benedict Cumberbatch, whose recent rise to fame will surely be catapulted further as a result of this role. Surprisingly, Kathy Burke also gives a standout performance; as the only central female figure in the film, she bears a great responsibility, and manages to portray perfectly a sense of repressed femininity in a predominantly male, at times chauvinistic, setting. The poignancy of her character and the sensitivity with which she portrays her are touching.

In the midst of this gushing praise, however, I must admit that the film itself was not entirely without fault. Despite the convincing performances and gripping script, the overall atmosphere of the film was tarnished, I feel, by the incessant “background” music. I love a good soundtrack, but for a languid, complex film the constant spy soundtrack was unnecessary, and ultimately damaging. At points it feels more like an espionage video game than a serious film. In comparison to the Bond and Bourne films – the obvious parallels – this film is, for the most part, wonderfully understated. In interview, Gary Oldman described it as “watching a lava lamp” – quietly undulating, complex, tantalizing. The soundtrack, sadly, ruins this effect.

Yet on the whole this is a film not to be missed. The storyline is enthralling, yet the film does not hang upon a great twist or shock effect; the beauty and sincerity of this film lie in the depth of its characters, and the connection the audience grows to feel with them.