Bridge of Spies

Spielberg has given his take on WWI, WWII, and the Civil War, and now he tries his hand at the cold war. Bridge of Spies tells an intriguing story about a prisoner exchange between the US and the Soviets which is expertly told. Its nice to see a spy drama grounded in the reality of what espionage actually was like. Granted there’s not a whole lot of ‘spy stuff” per se (though the one rare moment we see at the beginning is pretty cool), but there is a lot of the intrigue and politics that goes with it.

There’s some great writing and great acting in this film. Th writing includes some great thoughts and ideas surrounding constitutional rights and the contrast between American and Soviet ideals, and the ideas of what is and is not considered treason. These ideas are supported by solid performances, not only by the indomitable Tom Hanks, but especially by Mark Rylance as the calm and collected spy Abel. I loved any scene he was in.

Bridge of Spies is a solid drama. It fulfills that need for a great story by a great storyteller that doesn’t rely on gimmicks or fantastical elements. Its an adult drama. Its not perfect; sometimes the score gets in the way and the ending is a little weak (so should we care what other people think, or shouldn’t we?). But I guess Spielberg often has ending problems. I highly recommend Bridge of Spies to anyone who appreciates period pieces like this or realistic spy films.
8/10

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