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Spielberg's Bridge of Spies (wr. Joel and Ethan Coen, Matt Charman) | Review Thread

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S

Secret Fawful

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Spielberg has no room for cynicism, recasting the Coens’ neo-nihilist distrust of the system as absurdist comedy. While Matt Charman was the one to unearth this terrific true story, the Coens’ fingerprints are all over its telling. Janusz Kaminski does wonders here with shadows, while building up Hanks’ heroism from unexpected angles. One shot in particular, in which a paranoid Hanks crouches behind a parked car in the rain, feels every bit as iconic as “The Third Man’s” reveal of the thought-late Harry Lime standing in a Vienna doorway.
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-Peter Debruge, Variety

Hanks makes Donovan into another of the actor's Everyman characters, but one with very particular American “greatest generation” characteristics, such as unselfishness, modesty and fundamental adherence to core principles he's been raised to value and live by. The actor undercuts any potential sanctimoniousness with a dry humor and reserve of intelligence that makes him very good company indeed.
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-Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter

Hanks gives a very satisfying, watchable and assured performance, with just the right amount of hokum, homely and wily in judiciously balanced proportions. Jimmy Stewart gave us Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; Hanks gives us Mr. Donovan Goes to Cold War Berlin. Where his Donovan is bluffly ingenuous and straightforward, Rylance’s Russian spy Abel is a quietly voiced enigma. With terrific craftsmanship, pure storytelling gusto and Spielberg's Midas-touch ability to find grounds for optimism everywhere, Bridge of Spies has a brassy and justified confidence in its own narrative flair.
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-Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

It’s Rylance who keeps Bridge of Spies standing. He gives a teeny, witty, fabulously non-emotive performance, every line musical and slightly ironic — the irony being his forthright refusal to deceive in a world founded on lies. The poetic embodiment of fatalism, he is Donovan’s closest ally in terms of integrity but his opposite when it comes to slogging away on behalf of lost causes.
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-David Edelstein, The Vulture

A classicist movie, made for adults, that dares to say there’s nothing unfashionable about the honorable man. Gregory Peck once wanted to make this based-on-a-true-story movie in the 1960s, and Spielberg's effort feels crafted for that era, mixed with Billy Wilder's heart and Howard Hawks' sincerity. Somewhere between graceful and taking your sweet-ass-time, if viewers were hoping for something akin to “Munich” only set in the Cold War — tense, taut and morally thorny— they’ve come to the wrong place. ‘Spies’ moves at a more measured pace. But its restraint is tonally appropriate for the Cold War; an anxious era of behind-the-scenes dramas where ultimately, no significant shots were fired.
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-Rodrigo Perez, The Playlist

So yeah, if you don't want saccharine, this movie sounds like the wrong thing for you to see this October. However, it's also noted to be very sincere and full of heart, with the movie resting on the leads, the script's absurdist humor, and the beautiful craftmanship and cinematography. I hoped it would be more like Munich, but the Coen's comedy mixed with that Frank Capra optimism behind Spielberg's lens is enough to get me in the seat.
 
T

Tagg9

Member
A classicist movie, made for adults, that dares to say there’s nothing unfashionable about the honorable man. Gregory Peck once wanted to make this based-on-a-true-story movie in the 1960s, and Spielberg's effort feels crafted for that era, mixed with Billy Wilder's heart and Howard Hawks' sincerity. Somewhere between graceful and taking your sweet-ass-time, if viewers were hoping for something akin to “Munich” only set in the Cold War — tense, taut and morally thorny— they’ve come to the wrong place. ‘Spies’ moves at a more measured pace. But its restraint is tonally appropriate for the Cold War; an anxious era of behind-the-scenes dramas where ultimately, no significant shots were fired.
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I personally found Munich quite slow compared to other Spielberg movies. This one must move at a slug's pace.

Edit: Hmm, unless I'm misreading how they're using the term "measured".
 
DOWN

DOWN

Banned
I find modern Spielberg sickeningly basic. They just have some sort of white TV movie biopic sheen on them that keeps them from convincing me.

And that weird backlight thing he does on his actor's heads is rough too.
 
W

watershed

Banned
I thought for sure this would be a disappointing Spielberg film but these reviews make it sounds like a must watch. I'm surprised.
 
M

Maengun1

Member
Spielberg hasn't managed to wow me since the back-to-back of A.I. and Minority Report (which is not to say those movies were perfect or anything). I keep hoping he can pull out another masterpiece or two though. His name as director will get my butt in a theater seat.
 
D

Discotheque

Banned
holy shit, the comparisons to old hollywood gregory peck/jimmy stewart have me extremely excited.

tom hanks constantly gets those james stewart comparisons but we rarely ever see it in film, the fact that this might bring that to light is awesome.

edit: damn, howard hawks and billy wilder comparisons too. it definitely looked very old school but I didn't expect to hear those names in these reviews. I'm pretty pumped for this.
 
X

XANDER CAGE

Member
Huh, the trailers for this were making it seem like something more akin to Munich in terms of tension/tone. Not complaining, though, this still sounds great.
 
B

brianmcdoogle

Member
Interesting to read the reviews. My least favorite thing in recent Spielberg films has been Janusz Kaminsky , so I hope he doesn't detract much from the film.
 
DKehoe

DKehoe

Member
Damn, just read this is now coming out at the end of November here in the UK. Really looking forward to this one.
 
S

Secret Fawful

Member
Window said:
The Coens do absurdist comedy too, unless this script wasn't like that.
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The reviews generally paint the absurdist comedy moments as feeling like their invention, but it's more that the moments of neo-nihilist distrust in how America handles things is played off as absurdist comedy. So expect lines that belong in Oh Brother, Where Art Thou at times.
 
C

Currygan

at last, for christ's sake
doesn't feel too hot for my tastes, sounds a bit like a superamericanfeelgoodyeah movie but Mark Rylance playing a Russian spy who unexpectedly gets mentioned alongside Hanks in terms of performance is almost irresistible, damn
 
T

Toa TAK

Banned
Actually I feel these reviews are what I expected from judging by the trailers. I didn't think the trailers were selling this any differently.
 
M

Mr. Sam

Member
Secret Fawful said:
So yeah, if you don't want saccharine, this movie sounds like the wrong thing for you to see this October.
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War Horse made me want to bore both of my eyes out, Lincoln only made me want to bore one of my eyes out, I'm wondering where I might fall on this one. The Coen script gives me hope. I'll see it in any case because Spielberg.
 
S

Secret Fawful

Member
SCULLIBUNDO said:
Any word on Newman's score?
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All I saw was a mention in Variety calling it suitably patriotic.

Another thing to mention is that most of the reviews say the second act makes a big misstep with a scene that is overlooked due to having great stuff immediately before and after it.
 
P

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
Wait--this is an absurdist comedy? The trailers have been awfully misleading.
 
T

The QBComics

Member
The reviews for this make me even more puzzled at the kind of movie this actually is. Super hyped though, those Stewart/Capra comments are too good. Just hope it doesn't feel ridiculously pro-American.
 
L

Lord Virgin

Unconfirmed Member
I saw a trailer for this the other day when I went to see the Martian. Never really cared a lot about Spielberg' work (some of his films I really like, don't get me wrong). But this was looking really interesting, will watch on Blu-Ray. There is just too much good stuff coming out.

Are there directors currently working today that can sell tickets just with the words ''directed by [insert name of director]'' in their trailer? I thought Spielberg was one (and probably is to a lot of people) but still.
 
H

hermit7

Member
These reviews are odd. I saw the trailer ahead of the Martian and it seemed like a slow moving drama, not some comedy. There were zero moments laughable moments.

I like the absurdity comedy of the Coens though, the big lobowski is a great film, I just don't see the allure of a comedy in cold war eastern Germany.
 
P

Pakkidis

Member
Never even heard of this film until yesterday when I saw the trailer and quite frankly it didn't look all that appealing, glad to see positive reviews.
 
S

Secret Fawful

Member
hermit7 said:
These reviews are odd. I saw the trailer ahead of the Martian and it seemed like a slow moving drama, not some comedy. There were zero moments laughable moments.

I like the absurdity comedy of the Coens though, the big lobowski is a great film, I just don't see the allure of a comedy in cold war eastern Germany.
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It is a slow-moving drama, but it contains absurdist comedy and levity, and the comedy it does contain is Coen Brothers comedy.
 
S

Snake

Member
Advertising makes it look fairly unappealing but I'm tempted to give it a chance after reading a few of those reviews. Spielberg certainly isn't incapable of quality in this age, even if it's becoming the exception to his work.
 
O

Opto

Banned
I really enjoyed it. I don't think it's his best work, but everyone's performances were solid. For those worried it's not an "Americanfuckyeah" movie. The very end was a little hokey
 
T

Toothless

Member
Surprised by this one. Spielberg’s touch is felt throughout, and, with the exception of a single scene, it’s never overbearing. Hanks doesn’t really melt in the role, but that’s okay. He works as a presence rather than a performance. Rylance steals the show with a fun subtle performance, and the rest of the cast does their roles admirably. Thomas Newman’s score is decent, but the Coens’ script shines, full of intrigue and humor. It’s a tense thriller that never gets boring (with the exception of the last ten minutes, but Spielberg’s gonna Spielberg) and one of my favorites of the year.
 
N

NealMcCauley

Member
It's pretty damn good overall. Coen humor shines throughout (Hanks meeting the spy's family is some superb stuff), and it only gets schmaltzy at the end. Rylance is the movie's secret weapon. The plane scene was intense if brief; Spielberg definitely knows how to increase the tension quickly.

Hanks's homelife is the only weak link. Amy Ryan felt wasted.

Imo it was his best looking film since Minority Report.
 
J

JB1981

Member
This movie reminded me quite a bit of Munich in the early going. Spielberg's direction is subtle and understated throughout. Thought the moral argument in this political climate was courageous and Hanks' character is just the kind of principled American hero we need in the age of a 'Make America Great Again' Donald Trump. It could have moved at a better clip and I felt the first half was more engaging than the second but it's overall a well made film. It's more a continuation of Lincoln Spielberg than anyhing else IMO
 
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