BRIDGE OF SPIES
DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
CAST: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Scott Shepherd, Alan Alda
CLASSIFICATION: 10-12 PG
RUNNING TIME: 141 minutes
RATING: 3 stars (out of 5)
Lara de Matos
The eighties was an era dedicated to cloak-and-dagger style spy dramas (the Bond brand chief among them), largely thanks to the Cold War, which was reaching the end of its decades-long grip on relations between the so-called Eastern and Western powers.
While said genre may have been overtaken by fantasy fare along the lines of The Hunger Games, Bridge of Spies provides sufficient intrigue and that old-fashioned technique of – gasp! – actual storytelling that’s sure to reignite audience interest in the subject.
Based on the 1964 book by James Donovan, the narrative centres on the true-to-life experiences of this lawyer-turned-CIA-negotiator, who played a pivotal role in the release of two American nationals held captive by the communist Cold War regime. Just how this New York-based insurance attorney came to take on such a crucial task forms the crux of the chronicle.
While Donovan (Hanks) had earned his stripes as an associate prosecutor during the Nuremberg trials post-World War II, at the time of the spies saga in the early sixties he was, for all intents and purposes, a civilian.
But when Soviet secret agent, Rudolf Abel (Rylance) is captured on US soil, the decision as to who will defend him is handed to the Brooklyn Bar Association, who in turn, pick Donovan’s name out of the proverbial hat. The expectation is that the American government – and, as its representative in this instance, Donovan – is simply be seen to follow due process, with a “guilty” verdict effectively a foregone conclusion.
But they hadn’t banked on Donovan’s entrenched sense of duty to justice and his unwavering belief that everyone – even Russian operatives – deserve a fair trial. As he was quoted as saying at the time, “Our principles are engraved in the history and the law of this land (USA). If the free world is not faithful to its own moral code, there remains no society for which others may hunger.”
Needless to say, Donovan’s dogmatic decision to play fair during the course of Abel’s trial – even under threat to himself, his family and his career from the disgruntled American public – leads to a stay on a death penalty conviction.
And wouldn’t you know it, just as the trial comes to a head, U2 spy-plane pilot Gary Powers, as well as American student, Frederic Pryor, are taken hostage by the Soviet and German Democratic Republic (aka East Germany) governments respectively. Thus ensues a classic tit-for-tat ploy for prisoner exchange, typical of the Realpolitik of the time. (And no, I’m not spoiling the entire plotline – these are verified real events; they already happened.)
Hanks offers a quietly confident performance as the straight-laced lawyer with just the right amount of guile to prevail upon the devious and cynical lot he’s forced to contend with, while Rylance’s Russian spy (who, oddly, has an Irish-tinged accent) remains a soft-voiced enigma throughout.
It is this very stillness and seemingly resigned attitude to his fate that informs Rylance’s interpretation of the character and leaves both us, the audience, and Donovan questioning the blurred lines between good and evil, friend and foe.
The Coen Brothers’ hand is obvious in the comedic, surreal segments in particular (they fine tuned screenwriter, Matt Charman’s script), which provides a certain degree of levity to what could have otherwise become another typically angst-filled, depressing war drama.
That being said, certain aspects of the film are undone by Spielberg’s signature need to labour the point, as well as his tendency to milk the sense of schmaltzy American patriotism. (A European director would have allowed for more nuance, less “in your face”.)
In addition, we’re given very little background on the student (whose account reads more like an afterthought), with Abel’s own biography also barely fleshed out. Who, exactly, was the man behind the spy mask? What led to him being caught out? What was the extent of his espionage activities and for how long was he active? Did he and Donovan retain any form of contact after he was handed back to the Soviets?
Likewise, the person whose very capture lay at the heart of this critical shift in the course of history (namely, Powers) is afforded limited screen time, too. That the actor (Austin Stowell) cast to play him looks completely dimwitted hardly helps matters.
Be that as it may, overall, Bridge of Spies provides a quintessential tale of subterfuge, set against the backdrop of a feel-good film for the whole family.
If you liked Munich or Captain Phillips, this one will be up your alley.