Mark Rylance’ portrayal of Rudolph Abel’s unflappable persona and stunning aptitude was fascinating. I can only hope for a film depicting his career in espionage starring none other. For now, we can marvel at this performance placed nicely in the breadbasket of an excellent movie.

Tom Hanks was the clear choice to play the lawyer plucked to defend a Russian spy in the face of overwhelming evidence, albeit circumstantial, and public displeasure. I needed to believe that there was a person as good as James Donovan at such a tense juncture in history. Hanks’ congeniality guides us amusingly through the rhetoric and deceit, at home and abroad, in his determined quest for fairness.

These gifted actors unwrapped a screenplay by the Coen Brothers. As masters of conflict dialogue, Joel and Ethan wrote brilliantly for characters trying to discover, hide and pilfer information.

This film suffered slightly from a lack of actual spying, considering the title. However, Rylance should cross the bridge from the Tonys to the Oscars this February. Bridge of Spies negotiates the release of 4.2 napkins out of 5.