An Intense, Powerful, Captivating Spy Thriller

Rating: 9/10 (13 January 2019)

24 October 2015. Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance star in this amazing, intense, and compelling movie about the behind the scenes negotiations between James Donovan, a United States lawyer, and the U.S.S.R. and East Germany for the exchange of Rudolph Abel, a convicted Russian spy and Gary Powers, whose American U-2 spy plane was shot down over Russia in 1961. This mainstream movie directed by Steven Spielberg brings great cinematography, setting, and performances to build the tension, suspense through acting and script especially without action and fireworks. This is truly a big screen, big tent-pole event movie based on historic events as well as the poignant fear and importance of the human spirit in the face of a frightening, uncertain foreign world.
There is a pungent feeling of both dread and hope in this dark mysterious world of espionage. Bridge of Spies carries its weight of deeper psychological warfare reminiscent of John LeCarre's classic Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Spy (1979) or Breach (1997) and with setting a similar tone and flavor of The American (2010) or Sum of All Fears (2002) as well as a same period spy movie The Spy Who Came In From the Cold (1965) or The Russia House (1990) presenting a smaller scale, or the more broader sweep found in The Good Shepard (2006), all possessing a powerful espionage theme. This movie is riveting, capturing the visceral emotive uncertainty and fear, sometimes powerlessness, and sometimes faithful confidence that arises from an understanding the serious game being played. In addition there are some nicely timed and edited subtle humor to balance the drama occurring on screen. Overall, this is one of the best movies of the year.