Bridge of Spies (2015)
In the shadow of war, one man showed the world what we stand for.
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, 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, the convicted spy who Donovan defended in court.
| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 15 October 2015 |
| Genre | Thriller, Drama |
| Director | Steven Spielberg |
| Starring | Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance and Amy Ryan |
| Runtime | 141 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes 92% · Rotten Tomatoes (average) 7.7/10 · Metacritic 81/100 · Rotten Tomatoes 91% · TMDB users 7.2/10 |
| Budget | $40 million |
Where to watch Bridge of Spies
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Rent or buy
It is for sale on Apple TV.
What kind of watch this is
Steven Spielberg directs this 2015 thriller about a lawyer who trades a convicted spy for a shot-down pilot. Tom Hanks plays the lawyer, who goes to Berlin to negotiate the exchange. Mark Rylance plays the spy. The film runs 141 minutes. It is a slow, quiet look at how two men treat each other with a strange amount of respect. The stakes are global, but the tension is personal. It asks if honesty matters when the other side is the enemy.
What the critics said
Critics treated this as a return to form, not a novelty. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 91%, backed by a 7.7 average rating. Metacritic agrees, landing on 81 with universal acclaim. The consensus is clear: Spielberg and Hanks breathe life into a familiar Cold War formula. Richard Roeper called it a gripping character study, while Michael Phillips noted its old-school craftsmanship. Dissent exists, but it’s quiet. Mike Scott found the momentum stop-and-go, calling it more merely interesting than riveting. It’s a film that respects the genre enough to improve it.
How it did with audiences
It cost $40 million and took in $165 million worldwide, a return that film accountants call efficient and other people call a good year. On TMDB, users rate it 7.2 out of 10. It opened third behind Goosebumps and The Martian.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Bridge of Spies.
Sources
- Bridge of Spies on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q18067135 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Bridge of Spies (film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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