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Bridge of Spies

Play trailer 1:43 Poster for Bridge of Spies PG-13 2015 2h 21m History Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 314 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union captures U.S. pilot Francis Gary Powers after shooting down his U-2 spy plane. Sentenced to 10 years in prison, Powers' only hope is New York lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks), recruited by a CIA operative to negotiate his release. Donovan boards a plane to Berlin, hoping to win the young man's freedom through a prisoner exchange. If all goes well, the Russians would get Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), the convicted spy who Donovan defended in court.
Bridge of Spies

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Bridge of Spies finds new life in Hollywood's classic Cold War espionage thriller formula, thanks to reliably outstanding work from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.

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Critics Reviews

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Olly Richards The Times (UK) 07/11/2022
There are no directing bells and whistles here, just a grown-up story expertly told. Go to Full Review
Claudia Puig The Asahi Shimbun GLOBE (Japan) 12/19/2016
3.5/4
Director Steven Spielberg gives audiences a meticulously composed espionage thriller, which establishes a tense atmosphere from the start and keeps the viewer engaged throughout. [Full review in Japanese] Go to Full Review
Jason Bailey Flavorwire 05/03/2016
This is a filmmaker with a lifetime of skill and experience, crafting his vintage pictures with style and grace, and we're all better off for it. Go to Full Review
Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 07/21/2024
Hanks... carries the film as a kind of Cold War Atticus Finch, a husband and father and an American idealist who refuses to betray his client simply because he’s a Soviet spy, and he portrays Donovan’s essential integrity and loyalty without sentiment. Go to Full Review
Ankit Ojha Cinema Elite 07/09/2024
4.5/5
Boasting a deliberate and measured direction of tack-sharp screenplay, it smoothly coasts through themes of privilege, rights, and repute, balancing each in its subtext without making them feel like incomplete lip-service throwaways. Go to Full Review
Don Shanahan Every Movie Has a Lesson 02/18/2024
3/5
As an expertly crafted historical drama of intrigue and high character, there's not a thing wrong with it, but not everything Spielberg puts out can be a timeless instant classic. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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L S @LS253 Dec 22 As noble and situationally excited as one might feel about the premise, it absolutely has none if the grit one would expect. And on the conceit, I just didn't care enough for it to hit me the way Speilberg was trying so hard to wring out of me. Meh. See more Jennifer P @Parvuski Dec 18 I thought it was a terrible movie with one really awesome message. "Aren't you worried?" "Would that help?" See more Jacopo D @JacDan Dec 6 In quanto regia, performance attoriali e scrittura della trama (affidata a due maestri del mestiere Joan ed Ethan Coen) il film è impeccabile. Le maestose sale governative e giudiziarie riprese con perfezione da Spielberg, ma in genere molte inquadrature sono bellissime. Manca un po' sul piano dello svolgimento, un po' troppo lento che lo fa risultare un po' noioso. See more Ava S @avawatches Nov 18 Framed in beautifully saturated cold tones, Bridge of Spies builds gripping tension through its sharp conversations, well-placed courtroom moments, and sly touches of wit. See more Tyler G @tylergross121 Nov 2 America at the current moment could take notes about what it means to believe in American ideals of justice, fairness and due process. See more Dame Frances Yates F Oct 11 Never been a Spielberg fan or a Tom Hanks fan but this was an excellent film, well worth watching. I particularly enjoyed the extra production efforts to recreate a moment in time in a place I dreamed of when I was a 6 or 7 year old boy; being a man in a suit working in a presitigious law office in Manhattan and commuting from an upscale suburb of the era was a pleasure to immerse myself in. See more Read all reviews
Bridge of Spies

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Movie Info

Synopsis During the Cold War, the Soviet Union captures U.S. pilot Francis Gary Powers after shooting down his U-2 spy plane. Sentenced to 10 years in prison, Powers' only hope is New York lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks), recruited by a CIA operative to negotiate his release. Donovan boards a plane to Berlin, hoping to win the young man's freedom through a prisoner exchange. If all goes well, the Russians would get Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), the convicted spy who Donovan defended in court.
Director
Steven Spielberg
Producer
Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt, Kristie Macosko Krieger
Screenwriter
Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Distributor
Walt Disney
Production Co
Studio Babelsberg Independents [de], Afterworks Limited
Rating
PG-13 (Some Violence|Brief Strong Language)
Genre
History, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 16, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 23, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$72.3M
Runtime
2h 21m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital