Great performances and amazing dialogue.... But I didn't love it?

Rating: 8/10 (25 January 2016)

Bridge of Spies is one big mystery for me. It felt like a love/hate relationship, like Bridge of Spies and I enjoy each other, but we secretly dislike each other too. I did enjoy this movie, but it's easily my least favorite of the best picture nominations for 2015/2016, even more shocking considering that it was directed by the great and mighty Steven Spielberg.
Your premise is it's 1960, it's the Cold War, and your main character, played by the one and only Tom Hanks, is just an American attorney who is put into this situation of releasing a spy plane pilot for the United States, in exchange for a Soviet spy that the Americans have captured, and this is the story of how the trade went on and the trials and tribulations of getting this very difficult swap made.
Okay guys, before you watch this movie, be prepared for what this movie is: It's not an action movie... Despite the fact that this is pretty much is a war type of movie, for the most part not even a little bit. It's lots of negotiations and back and forth of trying find compromise of making this soldier swap happen. However, the lines that these actors deliver can be downright nail-biting and thrilling at times. The power and audacity in which many of these lines are delivered was very spine tingling at times, and I enjoyed that thoroughly. Unsurprisingly, Tom Hanks was the best at this, and his performance was outstanding. Oscar worthy? Possibly. I'd stick him up there maybe for a nomination, but definitely not the winner. Mark Rylance as the Soviet spy was a surprise standout performance that I really enjoyed in this movie, and occasionally brought a comedic spot to this movie.
But there was an issue with this movie that could be more to do with me than the movie, but there were many periods in the movie where I just got downright bored. I felt like in some moments that I was just waiting for the plot to continue on.... And it wasn't. This was a stab in the gut, because I was bored during quite a few parts of this movie. Like I said, I had a love hate relationship with this movie. I was either intrigued by the dialogue and the magnitude of some of the moments in this film, or I just got downright bored and almost irritated at times, waiting for something bigger to happen.
Never the less, this movie is directed exquisitely. Something this movie did was make me feel like I was in the time period, and submerged in this world, thanks in no small part to the excellent directing by Spielberg. It's a well shot and fundamentally sound movie that l's obviously well put together.
All and all, this was an entertaining movie for me. Don't get me wrong, I love period pieces and historical dramas/thriller, but for some reason, this movie didn't captivate me the way I was truly hoping it would.
7.75/10 on my Wynner Scale