Tom Hanks plays Jim Donovan, a New York lawyer drafted by his firm and bar association (Alan Alda!) to defend Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) a Soviet spy accused of espionage. When he defends him properly, Jim receives much approbation from those close and nearby to him - the public's lament to the lawyer, "How can you defend someone like that?"
Based on his good representation of the spy, Jim is thereafter recruited by the CIA to negotiate the return of Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Pilot shot down on a spy flight over Russia. The bait- the Soviet spy that Jim defended.
The Coen goofiness (Hudsucker Proxy, O Brother Where Art Thou) ensues as Jim tries to figure out who he represents, who to talk to, will they or won't they. They were co-writers. And the thrilling end comes together on the Gliessinger Bridge in Berlin, the Bridge of Spies. Very evocative of another Spielberg classic, Schindler's List.
A well done movie - an old style mystery and thriller - and no shooting, cussing, tourture.
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Good review and good movie. I have to admit, my hackles went up early in the film when it seemed we were going to be lectured with another 'we can't compromise our values and the Constitution just because our enemies are doing it" baloney, but it was mercifully brief. The Cold War atmosphere and Berlin was handled brilliantly. Excellent film, and I didn't realize so much of it is fact-based. Thanks Greg.
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