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Shelf Beauties |
Bridge To Terabithia Josh Hutcherson
stars as Jesse – an artistic boy surrounded by three sisters, and two parents
struggling to keep the family financially afloat. He’s picked on at school by a couple of
senseless bullies, but finds a kindred spirit in Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb) – the
new girl who lives next door and loves to write. The two start hanging out together in the
forest near their homes creating a magical fantasy world of Terabithia that is
free from bullies, judgment and parents.
However, they start to learn more about themselves and the outside world
as they try to conquer it together. Bridge
To Terabithia sometimes feels like a rudderless movie meandering along without a
plot, but you can enjoy the ride, and feel the emotional wallop waiting for you
at the end. It’s a perfect movie for
kids 9-years old and up, as long as a parental unit is there to discuss some of
the movie’s developments that serve as lessons about life. Frankly, Bridge
To Terabithia’s strongest
quality is the way it addresses issues regarding the obstacles kids face
everyday from bullies at school to individuality to forming friendships to
using their imagination to relating to brothers and sisters, and more. However, don’t worry. It’s not a preachy movie. It’s an entertaining and emotional one. Writers Jeff
Stockwell and David Patterson (based on the novel by his mother, Katherine
Patterson), along with director Gabor Csupo, keep the movie clean (that should
earn them some special praise and accolades), and wonderfully have the audience
moving between fantasy and reality in way that isn’t childish, but refreshing,
insightful and uplifting. While they
could have done a better job drawing parallels between the two worlds, and work
the symbolism a bit harder, maybe the point of the kids’ magical Terabithia is
that it is not real, and is an escape for them from the real world and its
pressures and troubles. Making the movie
one to watch, Bridge
To Terabithia features three strong acting performances
from kids you will keep hearing from in the future. AnnaSophia Robb will win you over in a way
only truly gifted child actors can.
She’s brings a bright, bubbly attitude to Leslie that makes the
character the kind of little girl you want your son and daughter to befriend. Then, little Bailee Madison steals every
scene and every heart in the audience as Jesse’s precocious, loving little
sister, May Belle. She has a smile that
lights up the theater, and brings a love of life to the character that is
infectious. Finally, Hutcherson puts in
the toughest performance as Jesse is the character facing the biggest trouble
and emotional slings and arrows, but does so with feelings instead of pouts,
which is a major accomplishment for anyone under 18-years old (and for some actors
over 18-years old, I’m looking at you Paul Walker) Bridge
To Terabithia might not be the first choice for kids inundated with ads for
Norbit, but it should be the first choice for families. Bridge to Terabithia is rated PG for bullying, peril, mild language, and thematic elements.
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