Bridge of Spies is a historical spy thriller based on the real-life
Cold War incident wherein lawyer John B. Donovan (Tom Hanks) negotiated the
exchange of Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) – an American spy plane pilot
who got shot down and captured within Soviet territory – for Rudolf Abel (Mark
Rylance) – a KGB agent caught, tried, convicted, and imprisoned by the US
government. The movie covers the events
of Abel’s arrest; his trial, in which Donovan was assigned as his defense
lawyer; how Donovan convinced the involved governments to agree on an exchange;
and the carrying out of the exchange on Glienicke Bridge.
Steven Spielberg helmed Bridge of Spies, and that’s enough
reason to watch it. As usual, at the
hands of Spielberg’s masterful direction, the movie flows with comfortable
pacing and engaging narrative execution.
And he thoroughly brought out the best out of its competently written
script – as to be expected from the Coen Brothers, who co-wrote this movie with
Matt Charman.
I love the performances of Tom
Hanks and Mark Rylance, and the characters they portray. I don’t know how spot-on is the movie’s
depiction of these men in comparison with their real-life counterparts, but I find Bridge of Spies’ versions of John B.
Donovan and Rudolf Abel extremely likable.
I can’t help but admire Donovan’s resolve, integrity, confidence, and
negotiation skills – he reminded me of Captain Picard. Meanwhile, Abel is endearing for his dedication,
calm tenacity, and amazing emotional control – reminding us the fact that if a
particular negative emotion (e.g. worry, alarm, fear) can’t help in bettering a
bad situation anyway, then there’s no use feeling it.
I really liked this movie. However, I have to admit that I didn’t love it
as much as the fun, romanticized spy movies – Kingsman and Mission Impossible – of 2015. But though
such is my personal preference, I nonetheless heartily welcome down-to-earth,
cerebral spy movies like Bridge of Spies,
and I wish Hollywood would make more of them.
In the end, Bridge of Spies succeeds in being sophisticated and touching as a
drama, and stimulating and suspenseful as a thriller. And Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks have surely
another classic under their belts with this movie. Every award nomination it will receive is
well-earned.
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