Solid Spielberg

Rating: 7/10 (5 April 2016)

This Cold War thriller confirms two things about director Steven Spielberg.
First: he is one of the greatest storytellers in the history of cinema. It's amazing how he makes every sequence visually interesting, fluid and well-paced, from dialogue scenes (which represent the bulk of Bridge of Spies) to action set-pieces (here just a brief plane crash). He gets strong performances from his actors, here Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance, the latter in an Award-winning turn as a mild-mannered Soviet spy. The director's efficiency on set is legendary: Bridge of Spies looks great in spite of a slim (for Hollywood standards!) forty millions budget. Spielberg was just born to narrate stories...
... and that's why his films, even the few I don't particularly like, as a general rule still have *something* worth recommending.
Second: Spielberg's movies have diabetes. Sugar is sprinkled everywhere, peaking with sappy endings. Bridge of Spies would be greatly improved by radically altering or excising the last ten minutes... much like War of the Worlds, AI, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, Minority Report. Looking back, it's surprising Spielberg delivered in Raiders of the Lost Ark one of the most memorably ironic epilogues ever.
... and that's why I prefer Spielberg's more lighthearted films, like Jaws or Jurassic Park; in serious movies his fluffy endings feel more grating and inappropriate.
Overall, Bridge of Spies is solid. The Coen brothers co-wrote the script, their touch shining through in several absurdist, humorous moments.
7,5/10