A Wonderfully Done Historical Drama

Rating: 9/10 (17 January 2016)

If you're a fan of historical dramas--films based on true stories and the like--then you definitely should check out "Bridge of Spies". I found this movie to be absolutely great, and it's very easy to see how and why it's been nominated for Best Picture.
Perhaps the strongest part of this film is its overall production. I didn't know a thing about the movie going into it (I watched it as part of my attempt at seeing all of the 2016 Best Picture nominees), and so I had no clue that it's a Steven Spielberg film. That said, when you see this movie you'll be reminded of what true craftsmanship looks like in a film production. The scenes, the camera work, pretty much everything in this film just comes together to make it an outstanding effort in filmmaking.
I also can say that I enjoyed Tom Hanks in this performance. I do sometimes have trouble getting into Tom Hanks movies these days, as he's sort of become too big of a star--I always see him as himself rather than as whoever he's playing on screen. That was true for "Bridge of Spies" as well, but the role of a random New York attorney in the middle of the 20th Century makes that whole aspect less bothersome than if he were playing a more well known historical figure.
All that said, I seriously considered giving this movie a perfect 10, and I can see how many people might do just that. I've held back from the perfect rating for one lone aspect, and that's that this movie probably doesn't have the "epic" feel to it that I tend to want to reserve a perfect score for. "Bridge of Spies" is a fantastic movie that will entertain you for a couple of hours--but fifteen years from now it's probably not going to be a movie that you remember too much about. The story provides great escapism for the moment, but it just isn't so mind blowing or suspenseful that it warrants being thought of in the same category as, for me, an "Unforgiven" or a "Chinatown". Thus my 9/10 star rating.