El puente de los espías

Don't be fooled by the title. Make sure you know what you're getting yourself into when you watch this film. Bridge of Spies is literally about the Cold War Bridge of Spies, where Soviet/US spies were exchanged through negotiations. This is nothing like "The Americans" (FX TV drama - for some high unrealistic and over-sexualized espionage action - redirect here) and the most action-packed scene you will see is Francis Gary Powers getting shot out of his U2 plane during his mission.

Bridge of Spies is really a historical/legal drama. And based on my preliminary research, they seem to be getting most of their facts right. Obviously a little bit embellished for Hollywood's sake, Bridge of Spies does a fine job as a historical docudrama. There is a lot of talking, but it's meaningful talking. At times, the film can be a little slow {opening scene, especially}, but give it a chance and you might enjoy it. History buffs like myself will definitely enjoy it. But thrill-seekers, you're better off to see the new James Bond movie instead.

Following "War Horse" and "Lincoln," "Bridge of Spies" rounds out Steven Spielberg's trilogy of histories in the 2010s, each film earning a Best Picture nomination for being a superb piece of craft — and having Spielberg's name attached.

None of these are bad, but they are extremely traditional films evoking the prestige dramas of the '90s and not necessarily offering anything new. As such, "Bridge of Spies" doesn't shed new light on Cold War history, but it does tell a small story with of inspirational characters with a lot of heart.

Tom Hanks stars as James Donovan, an insurance attorney asked to represent a recently detained Soviet spy named Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance). A proud Constitutionalist of sorts, Donovan decides it's his honor and duty to give one of America's most hated men his right to a defense. Then, when a U.S. pilot is captured in Soviet territory, the CIA recruits Donovan to negotiate a swap.

"Bridge of Spies" echoes "Lincoln" in its portrayal of a morally tenacious man who stood firm in the face of opposition. Putting an actor as likable Hanks in the role of someone as upstanding and charming as Donovan is almost unfair. The script, treated by Mark Charman and also the Coen brothers, builds clever scenes for Hanks to navigate through with total ease. The story doesn't push or challenge the veteran, but it does frame everything that's happening with the appropriate weight, enough so that we can connect with everything Donovan is going through and respect the decisions he makes and Hanks helps communicate those stakes. The Cold War was an ugly time; it might seem that what Donovan did and how he approached his responsibilities was a moral no-brainer, but it was actually quite complicated and extremely unpopular.

Rylance as well is a an excellent stroke of casting genius. More known for his stage work, the veteran creates a portrait of a man so self-assured it's frightening. It's the kind of nuanced supporting role that is easy to overlook when most award-winning supporting turns are flashy scene-stealers.

Spielberg and longtime director of photography Janusz Kaminski give "Bridge of Spies" such richness. This is a film driven by plot and acting, but the picture is pristine. In particular, the way they capture East Berlin during the negotiations scenes is feels haunting in a way few films taking place in that similar time and place have. Also, the visual symbolism of reflections and different perspectives is something Spielberg plays with subtly but enough so to put some artistic flourishes on his film. Most importantly, the climactic bridge sequence works on every level, and that alone proves Spielberg, cast and crew all did their job.

When Spielberg is done directing, "Bridge of Spies" will probably not make anyone's list of his top films, but it shows that just about any corner of history can make for an excellent film in capable hands.

~Steven C

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A feel-good Cold War melodrama, Bridge of Spies is an absorbing true-life espionage tale very smoothly handled by old pros who know what they're doing. In its grown-up seriousness and basis in historical conflict, Steven Spielberg's first feature since Lincoln three years ago joins the list of the director's half-dozen previous "war" films, but in its honoring of an American civilian who pulled off a smooth prisoner exchange between the East and West during a very tense period, the film generates an unmistakable nostalgia for a time when global conflict seemed more clear-cut and manageable than it does now. Spielberg's fourth collaboration with Tom Hanks, which world- premiered at the New York Film Festival and opens commercially on October 16, looks to generate stout box-office returns for Disney through the autumn season. For people of Spielberg's generation, the early years of the nuclear era and the stand-off between the United States and the Soviet Union represents a significant part of the fabric of childhood. With the passage of time, it's possible to tell stories of the time without furnishing them with overt propagandistic overlays, and for Westerners there is the added built-in appeal of the "we won" factor and the perception that dealing with adversaries was so much simpler then than it is now. As their focus in this impeccably rendered recreation of a moment in history, most palpably represented by the building of the Berlin Wall, Spielberg and screenwriters Matt Charman and Ethan and Joel Coen have chosen a sort-of Atticus Finch of the north, a principled, American Everyman insurance attorney unexpectedly paged to represent a high-level Soviet spy caught in New York. There is no question that Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) is guilty, but James B. Donovan (Hanks), a proper and decent family man with a professional dedication to his client and an abiding loyalty to the principles of the U.S. Constitution, has a quick and intuitive read of any legal situation and shrewdly stays at least one step ahead of the game in almost any situation.

This movie hit me really strangely.

I was expecting a political drama about the cold war, and while indeed it was that, I was not expecting to have so much fun and for Bridge of Spies to be so humorous.

The Coen brothers writing a movie Steven Spielberg would direct just sounds like a winning combination and it really was. Sealing the deal, was a great performance by Tom Hanks.

Tom Hanks does what he does best, by playing an everyday man in an average life. James Donovan was just an insurance lawyer who gets caught up in the middle of the Cold War. Bridge of Spies, starts him off so normal and then turns his life into quite an adventure.

And I do mean adventure. In the hands of Spielberg, the movie's visuals were large and epic. I was expecting this movie to feel more like his last flick, Lincoln. Instead it feels more like Indiana Jones, as James Donovan travels to Berlin at the time when the wall was being completed.

Watching Hanks play Donovan who is just swept into an overwhelming situation and just keeps his cool and his charm is just highly enjoyable.

Totally loved Bridge of Spies, It's one of the best team ups between Hanks and Spielberg and even though Lincoln was a great movie, Bridge of Spies is everything Spielberg is capable of. So entertaining.

Bridge of Spies (2015)

*** (out of 4)

Attorney James Donovan (Tom Hanks) is given the thankless job of defending suspected Russian spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance). Donovan accepts the job but soon finds himself defending his client a bit too good for some, which leads to him being the main negotiator between America and Russia when it comes time for a prisoner swap.

Steven Spielberg's BRIDGE OF SPIES isn't one of the director's greatest works but it's certainly a very well-made film that manages to hold your attention throughout the rather long running time. I must admit that the trailer for the film really left me cold so I wasn't sure what to expect from the film but overall it's another good movie from the director, although the ending falls into that cringe-worthy, over-sentimental stuff that the director does quite often.

With that said, there's no doubt that there's a highly good story being told here that grabs your attention and doesn't let it go. The screenplay by Joel & Ethan Coen and Matt Charman does a very good job at capturing the spirit of the period and even if you're not familiar with the Cold War the film does a nice job at bringing you up to speed on the various fears. Spielberg perfectly handles the material and milks it for some nice drama as well as some political points that are certainly meant to be taken into consideration on some current issues.

Hanks, as you'd expect, turns in an excellent performance and is certainly believable in the role of the attorney who finds his life spinning out of control from not only his wife but strangers who feels he is helping a spy. Hanks is such a calm grace that it really was entertaining just seeing him negotiate. Rylance also deserves a lot of credit for the way he played this character and I really loved the laid back approach to where the character never tips his cap in regards to what and who he really is. Technically speaking the film is quite good and of high standards.

BRIDGE OF SPIES could have been a bit tougher on the political aspects but it's goal was to aim for the mainstream and in the end it's an entertaining film.