I will admit it... Bridge of Spies has been on circuit for a while now and I've been avoiding it. It's been a while since I enjoyed a Spielberg produced/directed film and those low expectations served me well 'cause Bridge of Spies really surprised me... let's dig in.
Co-written by the fabulous duo of the Coen Brothers, assisted by Matt Charmain, Bridge of Spies gives us the off beat comedic touches you'd expect from a Coen film with some weepy sentimentalism you'd expect from a Spielberg film. Somewhere in between the comedic beats and sentimentality, there's a film that speaks about values and the cost of believing and living up to values.
It's refreshing to watch a spy drama minus the car chases and near death stunts but that still has the cool gadgets and intrigue you'd associate with the genre. There's a lot of cat and mouse going on here and Hanks, the man who has perfected playing the everyday man, is the perfect star to carry this film about a supposed fish out of water - a lawyer involved in Cold War espionage as a result of him wanting to do right by his client.
The film raises interesting questions that speak to the US today and even SA. Where does nationalism draw the line? What is the price for a having a moral code in a world that values absolute allegiance above everything? Think of Guantanamo and the drone strikes in the US - how does this correlate with the US's own history, constitution and values?
Closer to home... guys like Dali Mpofu representing Gareth Cliff and our issues with racists like Penny Sparrow. In our outrage, at what point do we devalue our own values in an attempt to meet a desired outcome?
Bridge of Spies asks such questions, especially in the first part of the movie before the plot machinisations kick in. In the second half of the movie it becomes more about the cat and mouse game of spies and govenments, who will come out on top and if our man can outsmart and outplay everyone, and this is all based on true events.
It's easy to see why the Academy nominated Bridge of Spies for Best Picture - it's got star power in front and behind the camera, it's beautifully shot, it's not purely commercial and it has something to say, although it does not shout that message with a loud horn. But will it take the Oscar? Time will tell.
Rating ***1/2
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
* utter rubbish ** when you are really bored *** not bad ****now we cooking ***** Instant Classic