Reliably good work from all, but lacks passion beyond a star turn from Rylance

Rating: 8/10 (4 November 2015)

Bridge of Spies tells the true story of James Donovan, an insurance lawyer who is given the thankless task of defending a Soviet spy named Rudolf Abel in the name of "due process". Where the stumbling blocks rise is that Donovan's view of "due process" differs from everyone else's. The country, the judge, the prosecution - everyone wants Abel convicted and hanged, and sooner rather than later. Donovan wants to do his best by his client. Hanks himself is solid - failing to rise up to his excellent work in Cast Away or The Green Mile, or to evoke a flaming desire for justice like Gregory Peck could in To Kill a Mockingbird - but solid. This part of the story is slow but solid, as it serves as a showcase for a wonderful Mark Rylance. Rylance is immensely understated yet far from bland - his mild-mannered conversations are the most interesting part of the film.
When an American pilot is shot down, Donovan is sent to negotiate his return for Abel, who Donovan managed to save from the death penalty in anticipation of this occurrence (its very obvious in places that this dialogue was written with the benefit of hindsight, as opposed to being natural dialogue of the characters). East Berlin is lovingly crafted thanks to outstanding work from Adam Stockhausen (last year's Oscar winner for Production Design, and a sure nominee again this year). Just like in Lincoln and Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg doesn't just take you to a world, he creates in on screen and gives it the right atmosphere - in this case, a chilling and claustrophobic one.
The screenplay is a strong asset considering that it keeps an almost 150 minute film interesting. The negotiations (which are far more complicated than the trailer implies) are fascinating, the dialogue crackles and there are quite a few connections and themes I really enjoyed. For example, when Donovan converses with the sentencing judge and later with his German adversary there are throwbacks to his insurance lawyer language that go to show just how right he was for the job. A debriefing word of comfort he gives to the captured American pilot also shows a similarity between them that I had never seen before.
There are a few scenes that weren't particularly necessary - a few forced and obligatory Cold War scenes and a ten-second romance between Donovan's daughter and young law associate - and a few points that are touched on briefly and pounded into us instead of subtly touched on throughout (i.e. community anger towards Donovan). The film's editors could have chopped a bit more out of the film, but I really enjoyed a few smash cuts between the different story lines - especially one about Powers' and Abel's respective equipment. While there are a number of small problems with the film - mostly in the cinematography department - I don't have any problems with the film so much as missed opportunities. Amy Ryan is wasted in a bit part, and is unrecognisable under what looks like an inch and a half of makeup.
Casting is probably the biggest missed opportunity - with the exception of Hanks and a cameo from Alan Alda (who is great, but doesn't stop it being a cameo), there's almost no one recognisable in this movie. Its as if Spielberg was trying to launch as many careers as he can, but Rylance is the only one who rises to the occasion. It was definitely a wasted opportunity not to have big name actors going toe to toe with Hanks in the negotiations. Imagine if Mandy Patinkin was the Russian, while Fiennes and Neeson (former Oscar nominees for playing Germans in Spielberg films) played the Germans? Just like Catch Me If You Can was thrilling because it was Hanks v Dicaprio, now the negotiations would be gripping for watching Hollywood heavyweights duke it out.
Bridge of Spies is not stirring enough to invite passion that many of his older films have enjoyed, but its a head and shoulders above Lincoln and is reliably excellent on all fronts. It can rely on a number of Oscar nominations come January, but I highly doubt it has the potential to claim the top prize.