Review of Bridge of Spies (2015) by Abb J — 05 Feb 2016

BRIDGE OF SPIES is a great film. I'm always interested in films that are based on a historical event and I like getting the idea of what it was like during that time, which is how you're supposed to feel. Everyone delivered fantastic performances, but Mark Rylance was absolutely phenomenal. He made you feel for that character and what he was going through, which makes it even more effective when you realize that he's portraying a real person. The film is also wonderfully shot. Steven Spielberg really wants you to feel like you're in the scene, as he does with a lot of his other films. My overall enjoyment of the film was not what I wanted it to be. Negotiations that are portrayed in film does not interest me that much, and this film is all about that subject matter, though I acknowledge that it is done very well. There is also a lot of political dialogue that made it a little difficult to follow, at least for a first viewing. If you can get the plot of the film, you will follow it better. I expect that some people would be really bored by this film, which is understandable, it's not for everyone. BRIDGE OF SPIES is not one of my favorite Spielberg movies, or even one of my favorite movies of the year. But Spielberg's directing and the actors' performances made me enjoy it enough. It's one of those movies where I liked it, but I wouldn't really want to see it again.

Grade: B+.