Well Told

Rating: 8/10 (5 February 2016)

In the late 1950s insurance lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks) is tasked by the CIA with defending Russian spy Rudolph Abel (Mark Rylance) in a U.S. court of law. Later Donovan is tasked with negotiating the swap of Abel for downed U.S. U2 (spy plane) pilot Gary Powers (Austin Stowell). Then Donovan learns of an American Economics student, Frederick Pryor (Will Rogers) held by the Russians and wants to do a 2-for-1 deal that the CIA is against. The CIA just wants Powers. Here we go.
The only action scenes show the U2 spy plane being hit by Russian missiles and Gary Powers trying to reach the plane's self destruct button. These scenes are extremely good.
Other than those brief action scenes, this is a talk-fest, but the conversations don't drag and are very concise among the Russians, the East Germans (this was the time the Berlin Wall went up), the CIA, some other U.S. government officials and James Donovan.
The most engaging scenes are between Rudolph Abel and Donovan and they are excellent as the dialogues were spot on. When Donovan asks Abel why he doesn't show that he is worried Abel replies, " Would it help?" It wouldn't surprise me if Mark Rylance as Abel is nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Award. He is really good.
This was history being made and this story is well told. There is nothing complicated and you always know what is going on. However, I was not aware that Donovan also wanted to get Pryor out of Russia as part of the deal. Tom Hanks as James Donovan in this role is perfect. As always.
Unlike most spy stories, there really is no tension in here, but there is some suspense later on when the spy swap is supposed to take place at the Glienicke Bridge and at Checkpoint Charlie. Oh, oh.
Notables: Alan Alda, Jesse Plemons
All in all, well told and now you know the rest of the story. Stay tuned to the ending when the credits run to find out what happened to everyone. (8/10)
Violence: Yes, some not much. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Two F-bombs only; and brief small stuff.