Bridge of Spies | Rotten Tomatoes

Bridge of Spies

PG-13

Released Oct 16, 2015

2 hr. 21 min.

History

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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List

91%

315 Reviews

Tomatometer

87%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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.

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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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simbat t

We should understand history and respect history

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/24/24

Full Review

John H

Very good movie based on real events

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/19/24

Full Review

John Z

From the clothing, the Armenian brandy, to the ramshackle East Berlin of the 1960s, the attention to detail by Spielberg and his team is impressive! The direction and acting are first-rate. The film held one's attention from start to finish. That James Donovan was a 'stoykiy muzhik'!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/19/24

Full Review

David H

Decent film. Worth a watch just for Mark Rylance's top notch acting.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/27/23

Full Review

Abc A

Boring, boring, boring!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/30/23

Full Review

Benjamin H

Led by a masterful performance by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg's tight direction, Bridge of Spies is slightly weighed down by some scenes of disinterest during the second act and the last 5 minutes, but it is an intriguing and focused film that is well written and very human in its depiction.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/10/23

Full Review

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Steven Spielberg

Director

Tom Hanks

James Donovan

Mark Rylance

Rudolf Abel

Alan Alda

Thomas Watters

Amy Ryan

Mary Donovan

Eve Hewson

Jan Donovan

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Bridge of Spies: Behind the Scenes - Discovering Donovan's Story

1:10

Bridge of Spies: Trailer 2

1:43

Bridge of Spies: International Trailer 1

2:44

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Olly Richards

Times (UK)

There are no directing bells and whistles here, just a grown-up story expertly told.

Jul 11, 2022

Full Review

Claudia Puig

The Asahi Shimbun GLOBE (Japan)

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]

Rated: 3.5/4

Dec 19, 2016

Full Review

Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

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.

May 3, 2016

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

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.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 18, 2024

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Steady and compelling storytelling nestled in a wonderfully rendered Cold War setting.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 19, 2022

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

From start to finish, Bridge of Spies is an engrossing, expertly made picture from Spielberg, and its historical merits, paired with its contemporary political relevancies, make it a supremely important American film for today.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 12, 2022

Full Review

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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
Executive Producer: Adam Somner, Daniel Lupi, Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King
Screenwriter: Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Distributor: Walt Disney
Production Co: Afterworks Limited, Studio Babelsberg Independents [de]
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
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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