BRIDGE OF SPIES Movie Review

Steven Spielberg’s recent filmography has been fairly serious. There’s War Horse, the story of a horse during World War I and the people he affects, Lincoln, a look at Abraham Lincoln’s battle to pass the 13th amendment, and now Bridge of Spies, which dives into the 1960 U-2 incident and a prisoner swap between the United States and Soviet Union.

All three are very different movies — War Horse packs in the sentimentality, Lincoln is a pretty wonderful look at the political game, Bridge of Spies has a heavy dose of lawyering and spy craft — but they also share something in common: people who believe in what they’re doing and not giving up in the face of great odds.

Bridge of Spies follows Tom Hanks’ James B. Donovan, an insurance lawyer who is tasked by the CIA to represent Rudolf Abel, a Soviet spy. His task is complicated. The CIA wants him to defend Abel competently, so that they can show the world that America stands for something (and it’s pretty good anti-Soviet propaganda), but not too competently. They don’t want him getting free. At the same time, U-2 spy plane pilot Gary Francis Powers is captured by the USSR. Eventually, Donovan is tasked with negotiating a dangerous swap between the two countries in trying political circumstances.

As you can probably tell, this film has a unique structure. The script by the Coen Brothers and Matt Charman almost feels like two movies in one. It feels like the movie should have come with Part 1 and Part 2 tags. The two parts are actually quite different though. The first part, the trial of Abel, is very much about a man who believes deeply in the constitution of the United States of America. He is not interested in all of the political games and simply wants to do the right thing and no one, not judges or CIA agents or the very angry American public, will do anything to deter him from his goals.

This section of the movie is actually quite uplifting. If you’ve paid any attention to American politics over the past 10 or so years you’ll see this section and feel two things. One, we need more people like James B Donovan. And two, maybe one day we can be this America again. It’s filled with optimism and hope and is about a determined man who is working against an impossible situation.

The second part of the film switches gears to actual spy craft. Donovan must negotiate a swap between the Soviet Union and United States, and he must do it without appearing to be working for the United States. He also has to deal with a third group that wants in on the action. This is where the film locks in and things get tense, as the stakes ratchet up and Donovan’s ideals are truly tested.

The entire film features a ton of talking. This is a movie that takes place at desks, with smart people talking around what they want to get what they want. It’s a movie of mind games and lawyering and politicking. It’s not a movie that’s exactly conducive to exciting visuals, but Steven Spielberg directs the everliving shit out of this movie. On a pure craft level, this might be the best work he’s done in a long while. Every moment of this film feels meticulously crafted. There are no wasted shots here, and it’s actually amazing to watch if you’re into that.

Bridge of Spies is packed with signature shots and sequences that just work. There’s a sequence near the beginning of the film that nicely captures the difficulty of following someone in a crowded area. There’s a plane sequence that’s actually kind of insane. There’s a fairly tense sequence of Donovan walking to a destination in East Berlin that’s kind of terrifying. There’s a train sequence that’s classic Spielberg.

One other thing that helps bring Bridge of Spies to life is the cast. Hanks is fantastic as Donovan. We all know that Tom Hanks is one of the most likable actors in the game, and he has way of presenting optimism and idealism that always works. It’s perfectly utilized in a story about standing up to everyone for the very ideals that America was founded on. The real star of the show here is Mark Rylance, who plays Soviet spy Abel. He’s kind of cold and a little too calculating, and so calm it’s kind of unnerving. But there’s a real heart behind it all that makes it tick. It’s an extraordinary performance.

While Bridge of Spies is great, I’m not sure if it’s for everyone. It’s not a particularly exciting movie, and if you’re not moved by its lawyering and talking you could certainly be bored to tears. It’s also very long, and it’s two-part feel makes it feel like you’ve binge watched an HBO miniseries event. Despite that, Bridge of Spies is an optimistic and fulfilling movie that presents the best work Spielberg has done in a while.