Steven Spielberg is evolving as a man, a filmmaker and an American legend. While he’s never shied away from the “big issues” humanity has faced — like the Holocaust — he is at heart a great entertainer. With Lincoln and now Bridge of Spies his work has turned inward, to the place where questions of right and wrong are decided in the human heart. Does the new Hollywood still have a place for such quiet contemplation? Bridge of Spies will soon put that to the test.
Bridge of Spies is about an unlikely hero, James Donovan (Tom Hanks) who is tasked with defending public enemy number one, a caught spy Rudolph Abel (Mark Rylance). Abel is caught when he retrieves a hollow coin that contains KGB information. The film doesn’t declare Abel a spy and therefore immediately leaves his actions suspect. The point here is that Donovan doesn’t know if Abel is a spy or not, and he doesn’t even ask. What matters is that the accused has a right to due process under the law. Turns out, Donovan is the only one who believes that. We watch Abel watch Donovan, wondering whether this man’s integrity will collapse under the growing wall of fear built up during the Cold War.
In the end, this is a film about that formidable integrity that doesn’t waver but holds honorable men true to the principles around which our laws were written and upon which the country was founded. In the wake of post-WWII fear and hysteria, America itself became a mirrored reflection of its enemy. There were no clear cut enemies, but myriad perceived ones. Defenders on both continents fight their side because they have to. The film is a mirrored reflection of those two sides, like the hollow coin that gets Abel arrested in the film’s first scene — two sides of the same coin. Spielberg, and his screenwriters Matt Charman, and Joel and Ethan Coen, have little interest in telling that story. What they aim for and ultimately achieve is to hold up a mirror to Americans and our psyche as we are in 2015. Donovan and Abel strike up an unlikely friendship amid hostility flying at them from both sides. Spielberg references the theme both visually and thematically. In one beautifully shot scene both Abel and Donovan take their sides in the mirror. Spielberg’s eye and Janusz Kaminski’s camera repeatedly set up these two sides of the same coin.
The film takes its time. First examining Abel’s case, and then it moves to Berlin where the wall is coming up between East and West. Those desperate to escape the trap that East Germany became will risk life and limb to climb the wall, the wall that has since been torn down. The wall itself another reference to the two-sided coin, or the mirrored reflection between East and West Germany. In Bridge of Spies, reality comes second to appearances. Guilt or innocence is often determined simply by how someone looks because back then no one’s word could be trusted.
The difference is, Donovan is a man who doesn’t accuse and condemn based on appearances. He stresses that there is a moral line that a person must never cross. Do the right thing, no matter what the cost because eventually history will right itself and you want to be on the right side. Donovan was a stand-up guy who took on a difficult task and saw it through to dutiful result. For that, this film remembers him and shines a hopeful beacon for anyone who goes against public opinion in the name of justice.
Like Oskar Schindler and Abe Lincoln, Spielberg’s vision of Donovan is that of a good man who cared more deeply for others than for his own fate. If each of these three films ends with a trace of lament about the hopelessness of that trajectory, it’s only the stoic resolve for what we know about the way of such things and how impossible it is to give our doomed humanity that tacked on happy ending.
The literal and figurative bridge between the two sides — where prisoners are exchanged and favors are traded so that some kind of peace and security can be maintained — is ultimately the only solution to ongoing division. Once again, the coin, the mirror, and the bridge invoke the two sides of the same quandary — a shadowy interpretation of what can be seen, rather than what or who is really there.
Is “quiet contemplation” a nice way of saying it was really dull? I found the film to be really lacking. For those that know the actual history of the event, nothing will be gained by the movie’s retelling…for those unfamiliar with the actual history, it may seem somewhat like much ado about nothing. (I feel a lot about the worldwide notoriety of Powers’ capture may have been left on the editing room floor.) The script was weirdly lacking in wit given the Coens’ involvement; not saying I was looking for their usual style but still, one oblique conversation after another didn’t add up.
In ‘Bridge of Spies’, Steven Spielberg returns to the value of human life he so brilliantly expressed in ‘Schindler’s List.’ Bits and pieces are a little incoherent, but the story progresses smoothly enough. Directed with the same finess and discipline that only Steven Spielberg can bring to a project. Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski does some of his best work in years as he seamlessly transitions the story from slightly deeper color, Stateside, to a more monochromatic portrait when the story enters East Germany. In place of John Williams, Thomas Newman doesn’t disappoint. His unorthodox yet powerful and subtle score flushes out the emotion and intensity of each scene without question. All the actors are well cast, making this a true ensemble piece. The only liabilities are in the screenplay and the editing. While giving all the credit due to editor Michael Kahn, his collaboration with Spielberg on this film was not his best as he tries very hard (almost desperately at times) not to lose focus of the films primary objective. On the whole, ‘Bridge of Spies’ may be better than ‘Munich’, but nowhere near the level of ‘Schindler’s List.’ I grade this film a solid ‘B+.’ I foresee about 7 Academy Award nominations here: Best Production Design, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Director, and Best Picture.
I enjoyed the film and even though I have plenty of issues with the script, the film is solid and a thrilling experience. I expect Mark Rylance to be a threat in supporting actor and this makes me especially happy. His “Would that help?” was funny at first but towards the end it didn’t play like the pun it had been in the beginning. It was a mirror of the reality he had grown up with. His character broke my heart. And by the way, I was disgusted by how underused Amy Ryan was and how bad the light funny moments were. Other than that, a solid film that kept my interest.
Best Picture – this nomination is bound to happen.
Directing – Not quite certain about this. The category is crowded and there is no urgency to reward him. He’s no threat to win.
Actor – Possible but rather not likely.
Supporting Actor – A LOCK. He could win. I would be shocked to see him snubbed.
Screenplay, Original – Likely. Though no lock. The category is crowded, as always.
Cinematography – Likely.
Editing – Likely.
Production Design – Likely.
Costume Desgn – Could happen.
Sound Mixing – Rather likely.
Music, Score – Likely.
Wins: probably Rylance.
My predictions on nods for Bridge of Spies
Best Picture
Best Director-Steven Spielberg
Best Actor-Tom Hanks
Best Supporting Actor-Mark Rylance
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Art Direction
Best Film Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Original Score
I have this gut feeling that the Oscar will go to this Picture and it’s director Steven spielberg. This is a post World War II movie that has a big line-up of Hollywood Heavyweights. FRom the trailer it looks Oscar calliber
Fascinating read. Really looking forward to this one.
Sounds more like a truly serious film whose main interest is its own themes rather than awards-season baiting. Which is all for the better. More in the vein of Spielberg’s latter, restrained dramas like Munich and Lincoln – which is the reason it will probably win no Oscars but be appreciated by serious-minded moviegoers.
Fine article, Sasha. You’ve whetted my appetite for this movie more than any other commentator out there so far.
I grew up just a short drive from the “Bridge of Spies”, the Glienecke Brücke. Berlin, well, when our part of it was still West-Berlin. Now, as before the building of the Wall, the Gliencke Brücke is an important connector from Berlin to the neighboring city of Potsdam, southwest of Berlin (but in the Cold War era it was another blocked thoroughfare to the East – every way out of West-Berlin back then was towards the East…). In those days nobody ever crossed the Glienecke Brücke, well, except for those exceptional days when there was an East-West spy exchange.
It is strange nowadays to easily walk or drive over this bridge that in my youth was such a forlorn, forbidding untraversable symbol.
I think this movie should win best picture either at the globes or oscars. Spielberg might get a nod for best director too. The last time steven Spielberg won A Oscar was for Saving Private Ryan. This would his third if the film does well with film critics circles and awards buzz. The story sounds intriguing.
As if I wasn’t alredy excited enough about Spielberg’s new triumph!
Sounds like bridge of spies is a great American movie and also another carefully constructed and efficient Spielberg movie. I’m really looking forward to seeing this movie.