Satisfying Cold War drama with the classic humanity of Spielberg and Hanks

Rating: 10/10 (27 February 2016)

At the height of the Cold War, insurance lawyer Jim Donovan is chosen by his peers to defend a Soviet spy captured by the U.S. Donovan faces suspicion and animosity from practically everyone, but is determined the spy get a fair trial.
A few years later, when the Soviets capture an important American spy,Donovan is tapped to arrange a swap. Plans are complicated by the construction of the Berlin Wall, as Donovan must negotiate traveling between East and West Berlin for the exchange to work.
The film does an excellent job of conveying the realities of the Cold War on both sides, both the physical backdrop of Berlin and the emotional world inhabited by Americans, Soviets, and East Germans. As Spielberg so often does, Bridge of Spies focuses on the difference a person of conscience and humanity can make in a fraught situation. It does not disappoint. I particularly enjoyed the rich detail: Donovan's kids learning to "duck and cover" at school, East Berlin's bombed- out buildings and gangs, Donovan's wife asking him to bring home some marmalade.
If you want to watch a movie that both explores the challenges and complexity of Cold War history and also leaves you feeling hopeful about humanity, I recommend Bridge of Spies.