Spielberg & Hanks continue to be a solid filmmaking duo

Rating: 8/10 (23 November 2015)

BRIDGE OF SPIES (2015) *** Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan, Eve Hewson, Austin Stowell, Jesse Plemons, Will Rogers. Fact-based Cold War historical drama centered on espionage with downed U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers and Russkie spy Rudolf Abel set up in an exchange of prisoners orchestrated by the world powers and Hanks as the attorney James A. Donovan appointed to do the dirty work. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg employs all his production values in perfectly capturing the era yet the streamlined screenplay by Matt Charman and the Coen Brothers is a tad too cut and dried with little emotional spark.