Bridge of Spies (2015)

Director: Steven Spielberg
Story: Matt Charman, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen 
Cast: Tom Hanks, Martin Rylance 
Music: Thomas Newman
Time: 141 minutes
Bottom-line: Not the best war film, but a well-made history-drama 

Steven Spielberg’s 1993 drama Schindler’s List is undoubtedly the best film I have seen about World War II, and when I knew that Bridge of Spies was also a war film from the same director, I immediately had high expectations. But the film actually turned out to be a silent but powerful political drama, with many, albeit evanescent, bits of brilliance from Hanks and Rylance.

Hanks as Donovan

1957, New York – Rudolf Abel (Rylance) is arrested by FBI agents when they find evidence of him being a Russian spy. James Donovan (Hanks), a lawyer specialising in insurance, is asked to defend Abel, so that he can have a fair trial to reduce the Soviet Union’s chance to use it for propaganda. Donovan agrees, but he realises that he seems to be the only one to take his work seriously; everyone around him thinks he is just putting up an act. Meanwhile, Francis Gary Powers, an American agent, is shot down and captured in Russia, and an American economics student is also arrested for being a spy, in Germany. Donovan is asked to request the exchange of Powers for Abel, but he also tries to include the student, to make a 2-for-1 exchange. How does he do it?

The real James Donovan

Though almost every summary/review categorises Bridge of Spies as a “thriller” film, it is actually just a war drama; not a “thriller” like an Indiana Jones film or Jaws. There’s nothing special about it, except that the spies, both Russian and American, are portrayed as actual spies, not James-Bond-type spies, in the sense that importance is given to the way they behave in the enemy camp and the people trying to get them out, not on the audacious stunts that you expect them to pull out any moment. The thrill comes from the dialogues and acting, and the story is made more authentic thanks to the settings.

Tom Hanks does pretty much nothing in the film except talk – he talks to his wife and children like a family man worries that his family is in danger because of his defending Abel; to Abel he talks like a trustworthy lawyer, though he knows he is dealing with a Soviet spy; to the Russians he talks in a cogent manner with a bold tone, convincing them for the exchange... in short, if someone can make you get such an array of vicarious feelings just by hearing him speak, it can only be Tom Hanks! It is very rare to see critics praise a co-star when you have Hanks in a film, but somehow in Bridge of Spies, Martin Rylance seems to be one to have stolen the show, according to general opinion. But to me, while he did do an excellent job of playing the docile, well-mannered Soviet spy, the performance was nothing compared to that of Hanks. The scene in the bridge where the exchange takes place is touching, when Abel gives a gift to Donovan, who suddenly realises he has nothing to offer, and also when Abel so selflessly agrees to wait till both prisoners are exchanged.

The actual Rudolf Abel (left), and the
same character played by Rylance (right)

The background score by Newman, the sets and cinematography were first-class, just like any other Spielberg film; there are no compromises on the technical categories. The story could have been paced a little better in my view, but I liked the fact that Spielberg has decided to make a film to focus on the characters rather than the action of the Cold War. The way he brings out the subtle differences between the two countries is worth noticing (like when Donovan looks out the window of the train). The acting is magnificent, and the direction, matchless.

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 91%