Bridge of Spies

BRIDGE OF SPIES (2015)

directed by Steven Spielberg

[filmography: Lincoln (2012), Minority Report (2002), Saving Private Ryan (1999), Schindler's List (1993), Jurassic Park (1993), Hook (1991), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), all four Indiana Jones films & Jaws (1975) ]

adapted for the screen by  Matt Charman [nothing big], Ethan Coen, Joel Coen [yes, those Coens]

starring Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda, and Amy Ryan

ENJOYMENT: ***½ (out of 4)

"Beautiful epic and great acting – maybe a classic"

Bridge of Spies is a Cold War thriller about a brilliant lawyer played by Tom Hanks who is recruited by the US government to negotiate a prisoner swap with the Soviet Union. As you may expect from the impressive credentials of the filmmakers, the acting is excellent and the film is masterfully told, and there were many epic scenes that suggested this could eventually become a classic film about the Cold War. Despite this, however, the film didn't make much money domestically ($70 million) and has been relatively ignored by critics and for award nominations (except for Mark Rylance who was nominated for a Golden Globe). Still, it's worth a watch and, for me, is one of the most memorable films of the year.