Review of Bridge of Spies (2015) by Quincytheodore — 26 Oct 2015

Bond of men in the coldest of times.

Capturing the weight and gloom of an era, Bridge of Spies is equally a biopic and an unexpected light drama. There's a lingering intensity, especially concerning the world of secrecy, yet it's a fascinatingly accessible story with subtle refined humor. This is meant to inspire instead of evaluation of ideologies, showcasing that humanity still resides beyond the other side of border or wall.

Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) is an alleged Soviet spy, he's caught and set for a trial. For his defense James Donovan (Tom Hanks) is unceremoniously selected, mainly for the purpose of procedure. After a while Donovan becomes invested on defending his client despite the unusual circumstance, it then takes him on a journey to help CIA save their own agent.

Despite the rather shady title, this is not the flamboyant gunslinger action ala James Bond or the intense operation like Argo. It is, strangely and also effectively, a light foray into the otherwise dark world of espionage. The pace is utterly calm, credit goes to Mark Rylance as Abel, who occasionally shows the pettiness of worrying.

He and Tom Hanks have incredible chemistry, both of the characters practically have nothing in common aside from the mutual respect towards each other. Donovan himself is avid negotiator, he pushes his objective with verbal aggression, yet the movie almost never resorts to violence and even on few occasions that it does venture to bleak territory, it does so with sophistication.

Rather than using typical war buildup, the movie gives faces to each party, thus humanizing them in incredibly identifiable way. It also deals with the issues of the era head-on while maintaining composure and suspending judgment. Lastly, it offers a soft touch of comedy along the way. The unexpected banters lighten the mood with timely cynical quip, it doesn't undermine the theme and still gives polished interaction between the supposed stoic personalities.

Bridge of Spies is perhaps one of the most accessible depictions of a war. It might set in Cold War and showcase the grim reality of it, yet it never falters on presenting honor, duty and the best side of humanity in less than favorable time.