Bridge to Terabithia
2007 · Directed by Gábor Csupó
Original language: English
- adventure
- drama
- family
The story
Jesse Aarons trained all summer to become the fastest runner in school. So he's very upset when newcomer Leslie Burke outruns him and everyone else. Despite this and other differences including that she's rich, he's poor, she's a city girl, and he's a country boy the two become fast friends. Together they create Terabithia, a land of monsters, trolls, ogres, and giants where they rule as king and queen.
What it’s like
Soft, slightly washed-out rural light frames this film: rolling Virginia-style fields, a dusty creek, pine and tall grass, and warm interiors lit by lamps and kitchen windows. Its drawn fantasy sequences break into bright hand-drawn animation, a welcome change in texture from the live-action world around them. Handheld intimacy keeps the camera close to the children's faces, and the score is gentle and wistful, leaning on piano and strings with long quiet passages where only wind and water are audible. The vibe is tender and bittersweet, with the easy pace of a childhood summer that gradually turns heavy. Its emotional arc follows a lonely boy learning to trust a friend and then grieving her, and it stays honest about the cruelty of school bullying and a family under financial strain. Intensity is low-to-moderate: some bullying and verbal harassment, bullies pushing and shoving, a sudden tragic death handled off-screen and without gore, and a few tense moments with a school bus and a storm. Suits families, viewers who like emotional coming-of-age stories, and anyone wanting a heartfelt, quietly sad watch on a rainy afternoon.
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