Bridge of Spies : Movie Review
A movie with Tom Hanks as the lead character, with great supporting cast, directed by Steven Spielberg, telling a story based on true events, is a perfect recipe for a great cinema experience.
The story is based on events from the Cold War era of espionage, the film starts by introducing to the audience, Rudolph Abel(Rylace) who is painting a self-portrait with the help of a mirror besides him. This opening scene has already settled you in for a visual artistic treat of Spielberg magic that is to follow. It is evident that Abel is being followed by the FBI and is arrested for being a Russian spy soon after receiving a secret message that was in a coin, stuck to the bottom of a bench in a park.
This is where insurance lawyer Jim Donovan(Hanks) enters the picture. Abel is to be given a 'fair' trial, if just to show the world the American way of justice, and the task falls upon Jim's firm, who assign it to him, thanks to his earlier credentials as prosecutor in the Nuremburg trials.
The American people already decide Abel to be guilty, but go through the whole charade of legal process anyway with Jim contesting that the law isn't being followed in letter or spirit. He does however manage to save Abel from the chair, getting him instead a prison sentence of 30 years. Throughout this trial, the calm and blunt demeanor, with the occasional witty humor, of Abel has the audience caring about him.
Meanwhile, on a parallel timeline, a U.S. pilot on a reconnaissance mission over Russia has been captured, and an American student has been held in East Germany, balancing out the cold war scales. The US government now turns to Donovan to negotiate a prisoner exchange.
And so begins Jim's the test to Jim's skills as a lawyer with high stakes, for the prisoners, for the nations and for his family and himself. The movie is well scripted, with wit and powerful dialogue. There are many scenes, like paintings, where you wish you could pause and admire the work, set to the beautiful scores by Thomas Newman, swaying your emotions with the story before you realize it.
A great watch, a good story, told very well.
Thanks for reading, and as always, feel free to comment and share.
The story is based on events from the Cold War era of espionage, the film starts by introducing to the audience, Rudolph Abel(Rylace) who is painting a self-portrait with the help of a mirror besides him. This opening scene has already settled you in for a visual artistic treat of Spielberg magic that is to follow. It is evident that Abel is being followed by the FBI and is arrested for being a Russian spy soon after receiving a secret message that was in a coin, stuck to the bottom of a bench in a park.
This is where insurance lawyer Jim Donovan(Hanks) enters the picture. Abel is to be given a 'fair' trial, if just to show the world the American way of justice, and the task falls upon Jim's firm, who assign it to him, thanks to his earlier credentials as prosecutor in the Nuremburg trials.
The American people already decide Abel to be guilty, but go through the whole charade of legal process anyway with Jim contesting that the law isn't being followed in letter or spirit. He does however manage to save Abel from the chair, getting him instead a prison sentence of 30 years. Throughout this trial, the calm and blunt demeanor, with the occasional witty humor, of Abel has the audience caring about him.
Meanwhile, on a parallel timeline, a U.S. pilot on a reconnaissance mission over Russia has been captured, and an American student has been held in East Germany, balancing out the cold war scales. The US government now turns to Donovan to negotiate a prisoner exchange.
And so begins Jim's the test to Jim's skills as a lawyer with high stakes, for the prisoners, for the nations and for his family and himself. The movie is well scripted, with wit and powerful dialogue. There are many scenes, like paintings, where you wish you could pause and admire the work, set to the beautiful scores by Thomas Newman, swaying your emotions with the story before you realize it.
A great watch, a good story, told very well.
Thanks for reading, and as always, feel free to comment and share.
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