Bridge of Spies (2015), PG-13, ★★★1/2

Tom Hanks defending a Russian guy. 

Steven Spielberg: He is a master of crafting a blockbuster that will entertain movie audiences and get them jittery and excited throughout the whole experience: Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Jurassic Park, Catch Me if You Can. Also, he knows how to craft exceptional dramas: Saving Private Ryan, Munich, Lincoln and of course, Schindler's List. But, also, he has a little bit of sci-fi background: Close Encounters, Minority Report, War of the Worlds, A.I. I could list about the filmography for him but that will be for later in the year or maybe next year. But, the Cold War itself is a hard topic to tackle because we are too familiar in what happens from a general perspective. However, he found a hidden story in the history of the Cold War that is suspenseful in a quiet manner and makes into a well-crafted and solid thriller with some issues in the second half. It's not top-tier Spielberg, but it's a very good Spielberg movie.

In 1957, during the Cold war, both American and Russian spies are against each other out of fear due to the nuclear capabilities. In Brooklyn, Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) is painting a self-portrait and when he gets a phone call that we never listen to or never hear any response from Rudolf, he goes to park bench when he finds a coin under the bench. He returns to his apartment to split up a coin and finds a piece of paper, but then, FBI agents storm into his home and arrest him for espionage.

James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks), an insurance lawyer, is brought onto the case of handling Abel in which his associate, Thomas Watters Jr. (Alan Alda), has assigned him to perform and handle. Donovan is given the case and his reputation will be said to be tarnished defending a Russian spy. Donovan meets with Abel to discuss the case and Abel clearly states that he does not want to fully cooperate with the U.S. government.

Meanwhile, pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) and a group of other fellow pilots are assigned to become spies of the CIA to detect any nuclear activity in the Soviet Union. When Powers and his comrades go on a mission over the USSR, Powers' plane is shot down but manages to eject himself from the cockpit and land on the Soviet Union soil. Unfortunately, he is late captured and held by the Soviet Union. Also, Donovan and Abel are in the courtroom and Abel is guilty on all charges and both men are held in containment.

A re-enactment of Road To Perdition?

This movie was surprisingly straight forward coming from both Spielberg and the Coen brothers, Ethan and Joel, who have written the screenplay. The movie elevates tension and suspense but does not allow enough credit to infuse the tension with a knife. I mean, there is a lot at stake but it is questionably uneven at times especially in its second half. The first half is quite prestigious when it is in the oeuvre of Spielberg's works as the set-up is quite precise as how the editing and the craftsmanship is presented to us, the audience. The second half goes into that territory in which the misty atmosphere and thin screenplay overtakes the precise structure. It's like there is a missing page or a missing energetic factor.

Tom Hanks is quite engaging in this "James Stewart-type" of role in which he has to defend an opponent of the United States. He has a quiet and bold presence upon him and his character reminded me of James Stewart's character from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Amy Ryan does solid work even though she is underused and underwritten as solely the wife. Sebastian Koch also offers fine work. The real winner and standout is Mark Rylance as the Russian Spy as he and Hanks develop great chemistry with one another. His shy presence compelled my attention to what he has to say to defend his honor. He deserves an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

It is a very good Spielberg movie, not a great one. He has five tiers which is great masterpieces, very good movies, solid movies, disappointments and garbage. It belongs in the second tier of movies with  The Adventures of Tintin and War Horse in which there are moments of greatness but something missing. Combining both Spielberg's and Coen Bros.' talents was quite risky and greedy because when fused together, it gets a bit inconsistent in its humor and drama even the humor is funny. Also, John Williams was absent in this project, maybe because he was heavily involved in the next Star Wars movie. However, composer Thomas Newman's score does not really match Spielberg's magic or tone. This movie provide an engaging argument for its zeal of freedom and speech in America and it is involving. With great set designs and structure, proven in its first half, this is a Cold War drama that is solidly entertaining. Another win from the collaboration of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.

***1/2