Bridge to Terabithia

PLOT:

10-year-old Jesse “Jess” Aarons is an aspiring artist living in a financially struggling family. 10-year-old Leslie Burke has just moved to Lark Creek and is the new girl at Jess’s school who has had trouble making friends at school and yet is full of joy and wonder with a vast imagination. She enters a running event which she wins, despite her classmates calling it a “boys-only” race. At first, Jess is quite sour about this and wants nothing to do with Leslie, but Leslie’s persistence in meeting him soon pays off, and the two become very close friends. Their friendship starts when Leslie offers Jess a piece of Juicy Fruit gum on the bus, and he accepts. Jess shares his secret love of drawing with Leslie. Together they venture into the woods, where they swing across a creek on a rope and find an abandoned tree house on the other side. Here, the two friends invent a new world they call Terabithia, and it comes to life through their eyes as they explore together. Reflections of their world abound in Terabithia: in particular, the gigantic ogre bears a face that mysteriously resembles that of feared bully Janice, who even charges younger children “admission” to the ladies’ room. Leslie gives Jess an unexpected birthday present, an art kit, and he gives Leslie an adorable, scruffy terrier puppy, Prince Terrien, in return, much to both of the children’s happiness. Leslie thanks Jess by hugging him, revealing her secret affections towards him. Jess is a bright but not too verbal youngster, and his new-found friendship is a critical step in helping him blossom as a young man, also improving and renewing his strained relationship with his overworked mother and aloof, nuts-and-bolts father.

On the next trip to Terabithia later that day, it is noted that the river beneath the rope has begun to swell and there is increasing tension as Leslie and Jess swing across the creek, their feet brushing the water. Indistinct images of foreboding begin to occur to the viewer.

At the end of a particular visit to Terabithia, Jess watches Leslie run back to her house (the same way he would watch his music teacher, Ms. Edmunds) realizing he has fallen in love with her. Early the next morning, Ms. Edmunds, who has noticed Jess’s artistic interests, calls to invite him on a field trip to an art museum. He makes an effort to ask his mother’s permission; she is half-asleep and doesn’t actually say anything, but he is so eager to go that he assumes she has agreed. He has a crush on the beautiful and personable teacher and does not want to share the trip with Leslie; he merely looks at her home as they drive by.

When he returns, his father and mother are worried sick, not knowing where he has been all day. He hears the horrifying news that Leslie has died trying to swing across the rain-swollen creek. He learns that the rope broke and Leslie fell in, hit her head on something – possibly a rock – which knocked her unconscious, and drowned. Jess is deeply grieved. He and his parents visit the Burke family home to “pay their respects.” There Bill Burke tells him of her being in love with him as well as thanking him for being a very good friend to her since she had trouble making friends at her own school. At school Gary and Scott insult Leslie’s death with Jess beating them up as a result from fighting their monster selves at Terabithia.

Jess feels overwhelming guilt for Leslie’s death, but his father consoles him to keep their intense friendship alive for her sake.—even considering giving him the dog, Prince Terrien, which Jess refuses to accept. So Jess re-imagines Terabithia and builds a bridge across the river to welcome a new ruler. He invites his sister, Maybelle Aarons to enter Terabithia; she is delighted because she was previously denied any opportunity to enter. She and Jess bring back Terabithia in even greater splendor, Jess as king and his sister as princess.

REVIEW:

This is a great family film, although it does have a bit sad turn, remnant of My Girl, near the end.

The imaginary land of Terabithia and its various characters is stunning. It is just a shame that we don’t really get a good look at the land until the very end of the film.

The acting by the young actors in this film may be better than their adult co-stars. Outside of the kids, the only acting highlight would be Zooey Deschanel as the music teacher, but then again, Zooey always lights up the screen, no matter what her role.

Apparently, this was based on a book. I had never heard/read it, so I can’t tell you the differences, but I’m sure there are some.

I’m sure we all remember getting bullied at some point when we were younger. This film takes it to an extreme level, but it does capture the bullying without sugar coating it.

This is a good family movie and I give it a high recommendation.

4 out of 5 stars