Matt Charman’s Cold War screenplay is based on the true story of U.S pilot Francis Gary Powers whose U-2 spy plane is gunned down in the Soviet Union. Tom Hanks plays James Donovan a lawyer recruited by the CIA to negotiate his release. Mark Rylance plays Rudolf Abel, a convicted Russian spy who plays a key part in the prisoner exchange that Donovan negotiates.
The drama has been a hit with the critics who have awarded Rylance with several prominent Best Supporting Actor wins. Rylance has received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for the role. Bridge of Spies received a total of six nominations, including Best Picture for Steven Spielberg.
Catch up on interviews with Rylance and screenwriter, Charman below :
Best Supporting Actor : Mark Rylance
Best Original Screenplay : Matt Charman
![2025 Oscars: Can a Late-Breaker Still Win Best Picture? [POLL]](https://www.awardsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/gladiator-350x250.jpg)
Great film, with A+ performances, design and overall flow – could’ve easily been a bore but SS knows how to dazzle.
My only negative was the token “bright blinding light from a window” his movies always have. It’s a nice cinematographic effect but it’s almost distracting.
I would’ve preferred to see Carol or Compton over this, but solid choice.
I fully agree.. It disappoints me.. Nominated for so much but winning so little.. I wish BoS would win more.. SS should have been up for Best Director too..
I’m yet to watch Munich but BoS instantly became my fav SS film after watching it..
I was not expecting Lincoln’s win for Production Design. Wonder if Bridge of Spies is more in the mix than we think. I am predicting Mad Max to win, but PD is one of the hardest categories.
I didn’t see some of the films cited above, but Terminal was not garbage. I thought this thread was about Bridge of Spies.
This was a great movie, a solid effort by Spielberg, Hanks, Rylance, Newman, Kaminksi, and other craftsmen. Appreciate their work, even thought it may not be “hip” or ring some critics’ bells.
Wondering is this can sneak out a Production Design win. It certainly looks incredible. It’s what I remember first when I think of the film; even before the story/Rylance/Hanks, etc.
I admire both.
In particular, War of the Worlds blew me away.
But yes, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull WAS garbage.
Cranston in this list of 5 still annoys me to no end.
Tom Hanks
Michael B. Jordan
Ian McKellen
Geza Rohrig
The list goes on. Any of them would have been a better 5th.
Watched this last night – solid work all around. Hanks was superior. What a great film actor.
Tom Hanks should have been nominated (again) for Best Actor. Who decided he shouldn’t even be in the conversation? Fassbender better than Hanks in this movie? Cranston? Please.
Yes, thank you Mothra/Watermelons. Absolutely right. Baffling to me that he’s only won two Oscars for Director and one for Picture. Lincoln would have been the perfect time to rectify that, alas. But he will continue to make masterpieces I am sure.
War of the Worlds and War Horse are far from garbage.
A.I. is so underrated.
Let me be a contrarian and say that Spielberg has done an equal amount of garbage (War of the Worlds, The Terminal, War Horse, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) to classics since 2000. His last successful run of film was Catch Me If You Can, Minority Report and AI (only creatively successful, obviously not financial) from 2001-2002. Lincoln and Bridge of Spies are hopefully a return to that greatness. I really REALLY hope he can make Ready Player One work.
SPIELBERG will win again as producer and director he earnt that through his astounding record of mostly brilliant public and critical acclaimed movies. For last decade. It been 1998 since he last won best director, ’96 since best producer. His time will be soon. For his footprint in Hollywood is something his peers the Scott’s, Scorseses Cameron’s and Jackson’s revere. Nd being at the forefront of influence of the bunch is all more,reason he be oy the first or second? Director to win 3 best director Oscars in Oscar history. Unfoetunat ly Oscar don’t fancy his latest offering which to my deepest regret last year I missed out on seeing it dragged down by my own personal crisis one of the films I wanted to see the most star,wars aside last year sad I could not hope,rylance wins at least on behalf of of movie
Such a handsome movie. I would argue SS’s best since Munich. Stockhausen is well deserving of the Production Design nod.
+1000
Spielberg any day for any of the Mc’s
Academy Awards snubbed movies like Drive or Melancholia because “they’re too style and little substance”. Well, Bridge of Spies is all that. It just so happens the style is classic… and the story is so morally correct, it gave me nauseas. Overall the movie is fine… but, man, they really have to bring more youth to that voting body. And by youth i don’t mean underdeveloped people, lol, just people with open minds.
+1
It’s a shame that every Spielberg-produced feature since Saving Private Ryan has been an easy bet NOT to win best picture. His work in 21st century cinema is an undervalued contribution to film language.
-Mothra