Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies is a tense, taut Cold War thriller inspired by real-life events. Tom Hanks stars as James Donovan, an upstanding American insurance lawyer who's assigned to defend a Soviet spy captured in Brooklyn, events that lead to a hostage exchange. Expect occasional swearing (including a couple of "f--k"s during a tense scene, plus "son of a bitch" and "goddamn hell"), a fair amount of era-accurate smoking, celebratory toasting, and some brief, intense violence -- most notably scenes in which a prisoner is harshly interrogated and others in which people are shot while trying to flee East Germany.
Sexual
Content
Not applicable
Violence
A prisoner is interrogated harshly; viewers see him clearly sleep-deprived and shivering from being splashed in the face with buckets of cold water. Another scene shows people being shot to death as they try to flee East Germany over the Berlin Wall.
Language
Infrequent swearing includes a couple of uses of "f--k" (during a tense scene), plus "son of a bitch" and "goddamn hell."
Social
Behavior
It isn't always easy to do your duty or complete the tasks that people give you, but that doesn't mean they're not worth doing; it's important to do your best and stick to your values. Negotiating is a tough challenge, but you can stay resolute in your position while treating your adversaries with courtesy and respect.
Consumerism
One of the main characters prefers to drink Nescafe.
Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol
Characters smoke cigarettes in many scenes (accurate for the era), and one uses a pipe during a dramatic moment. A few sequences take place in bars, though the main characters aren't always drinking. Other moments feature characters toasting with scotch or brandy during tense discussions or to seal an important deal.
