Bridge of Spies is a cold war spy thriller directed by Steven Spielberg starring Tom Hanks, and for those 2 reasons alone I went into this movie with reasonably high expectations. It tells the story of Jim Donovan, played by Tom Hanks, a skilled insurance lawyer who is tasked to defend a captured Soviet spy during his trial. However, after a U2 spy plane is shot down above Soviet air space and pilot Gary Powers is captured by the Soviet's, Donovan is the flown to Berlin to negotiate a swap between the US and the USSR so both spies can return home.
As I've just said, my expectations going into this movie were quite high. While Bridge of Spies may have fallen slightly short of the hype I set myself up with (I wanted it to be one of the best movies of the year) its still a dramatically effective and impactful film which creeps up on you emotionally towards the end. But, in order to enjoy this film you must know what you're getting into. It's a 2 and a half hour film of people sat around in rooms talking. I for one really enjoyed the experience for multiple reasons, I'd just be aware that this isn't a fast paced film with an endless amount of thrills or action set pieces. However, for what it is it is a good movie.
As you would expect, Tom Hanks is excellent in a role which may not require him to deliver on an emotional range like he has done in previous years, but in every scene he is in he radiates acting quality and keeps you captivated with his performance. He brings such an innocence and a likeability to his character, a man who just wants to do the right thing and prove that no matter who a person is, everybody deserves an equal shot at justice. It's these ideals which motivate his character throughout and because he is so likeable, you want this guy to succeed with the task he has been set.
Also, I have to give major praise to Mark Rylance who plays the Soviet spy in this film, because he is utterly terrific. Not only that, I love his character. He has a strange knack of remaining calm in situations where he really should be a little more concerned. And I love the fact the film made a point that despite the fact he is a spy for the enemy, he is not a traitor. In fact, Donovan even makes the point that he is quite the opposite. He's served his country admirably and honourably for not giving up any Soviet intelligence to the CIA. He and Hanks have real, organic on-screen chemistry and share some riveting conversations.
The reason why I was so invested in this movie's story and the 2 lead characters in particular was because the film's screenplay, written by the Coen Brothers, is constructed really well. The dialogue given to these characters here is excellent, and scenes which other movies would treat as downtime are actually where Bridge of Spies is at its most entertaining.
This, coupled with Steven Spielberg's masterful direction, make the seemingly mundane incredibly interesting. If you are a fan of directing and wish to direct yourself, I suggest paying close attention to the majority of the scenes in Bridge of Spies. Even when 2 characters are sat around talking, the direction of these scenes is marvellous to behold. Spielberg puts his stamp on every shot and gives the film another layer of enjoyment for film enthusiasts like myself.
It is definitely not a perfect film in my book and it is no where near the quality of some of Spielberg's earlier work, which is hardly an insult considering the man has made so many classics you'd struggle to fit them all on both hands! Being a 2 and a half hour film, there are times when it does feel like the movie's pace is dragging along. This is the case, for me, in that I feel as if a few scenes drag on for a little too long. I feel that whilst every scene was necessary in giving the narrative depth, some scenes could have been more impactful had they ended earlier.
I'm nit-picking here but there is also a transition that occurs between 2 scenes which came off as blatant propaganda, even if that wasn't the movies primary intention. Without spoilers, I'll say that it involves a transition from a Soviet prison to a US one, and the blatant differences between how well both countries treated their prisoners was a bit too much for me. This, however, was only one moment in a movie which actually does a brilliant job at steering away from US propaganda, with the exception of this one scene.
I'll also say that the ending goes on for too long and is very cliché Spielberg. But other than that, I really did have a good time with Bridge of Spies. Its well acted, well directed, well written and towards the end is surprisingly emotionally impactful. It's definitely not a casual watch but as a movie, I have to admit it is very good. If you know what you're getting into, I think it's a film you should see this year, especially if you're a fan of excellent filmmaking:
Rating - B
Thanks for reading,
Matt
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