Of all the films I have seen this year, Steven Spielberg’s “Bridge of Spies” is the best one of all.

The film is the story of James Donovan (Tom Hanks), a lawyer who is chosen to defend a suspected Soviet spy.

When an American pilot is shot down in Russia, Donovan proposes a swap of the prisoners. But when an American student is also arrested, Donovan must choose who to save: the student who has his whole life ahead of him or the pilot of the botched spy plane attempt.

The film is a leading Academy Award contender. Hanks gives a stellar performance as the man who has to save the lives of two fellow Americans. Spielberg does another fantastic job behind the camera, making the 1950s come alive.

One complaint I have with the film is that it is drawn out in some parts. Scenes such as Hanks with his family or the leadup to the flight make the film seem longer than it’s 2:21 run time. 

Spielberg tries to inject humor into the film, but it never works quite as well as the suspense and action.

Despite these misgivings, “Bridge of Spies” is another great partnership between Spielberg and Hanks. I give “Bridge of Spies” 4 stars out of 5.