Highly underrated, gripping and masterfully directed.

Rating: 9/10 (20 October 2015)

I can't remember the last time I missed a Spielberg picture in the cinemas. I had to check out Bridge of Spies because, while I am no expert on the cold war there was something inherently thought provoking about the very minimal trailers that were being shown.
The story centres around Jim Donovan (Hanks), an insurance lawyer who has been recruited by the CIA to handle the case of a suspected Russian spy Rudolf Abel (Rylance). I won't reveal anymore, I refuse to.
While there is not much action in this film, it is incredibly sleek, and mysterious. It gave me strong impressions of both excellent espionage and noir cinema. Kudos to frequent Spielberg collaborator and top notch cinematographer Janusz Kaminski who weaves a beautiful display of icy, shadow-fueled photography. Truly gorgeous to watch.
The writing is snappy, and ultimately superb. Can't expect much less from the Coen brothers who always seem to surprise me with their intelligent and clever scripts.
Hanks is a brilliant lead, who almost seems like a fish out of water, but ultimately a man who sticks to his guns, and never backs down. His scenes with outstanding stage actor Mark Rylance are the best parts of the film. These two heavyweights go blow for blow with each other despite their scenes being considerably calm and talky.
Spielberg very rarely lacks punch in his storytelling and this is another fine example of why he is considered as one of the all-time greats. This intelligent picture lacks a certain bravado of his earlier works, but that by no mean hinders from the films success. He is a tight, concise, and clever filmmaker who has yet again done wonders with an even more wonderful team of artists.