Ranking Tom Hardy’s 10 Best Performances (By How Much You Can Understand Him)

4. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

It's a good thing that Tom Hardy is understandable in this film - because it is one of the few things that actually is understandable the first time you watch this incredibly complex, dense, and beautifully shot cold war espionage thriller. Playing British Agent Ricki Tarr who is thought to have defected to the Soviets but in fact has information about a mole in the highest ranks of British intelligence, Hardy plays against type in the film. As a blond Oxbridge sounding covert agent, he is both genuinely anxious but also deliberately calm in his interactions throughout the film. Given the puzzling narrative, and gripping twists and turns this wonderful film presents to the audience, Hardy€™s clarity is a gift to an audience that already has plenty to deal with in making sense of the legendary John le Carre story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3cMyBJMykI Given the importance of Hardy€™s character to crucial expository elements of the film, it is crucial to rank Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as one of his better performances - even if he is only really a supporting character amongst an absolute heavyweight division of a cast.