School is where we learn many of our earliest lessons in life. It is where we first learn the academic and social skills that prepare us for the world beyond the classroom. School is also where we learn some of the most difficult lessons that shape our lives long after graduation. In 2007's family drama The Bridge to Terabithia eleven year old Jess learns vital lessons in friendship, imagination, and loss. For essential family viewing follow The Bridge to Terabithia.
The story begins in the rural Midwest, where Jess Aarons lives with his stern father, stressed mother, and four sisters. His artistic interests make him an outcast amongst his struggling family and he faces even more difficulty fitting in at school where he is regularly bullied. A burst of color enters his gray life in the form of his new neighbor, Leslie. Leslie is Jess' polar opposite in that where he struggles to fit in she relishes standing out. Through their shared outsider status the pair for an unlikely friendship. Together they create an elaborate fictional world in which they embark upon adventures of the imagination. Through the power of storytelling and the encouraging influence of Leslie he finds the courage to face his fears and accept himself. The magic of Terabithia is put to the ultimate test, however, when a tragedy occurs that shatters his view of the world and his place within it.
The film faithfully brings Katherine Patterson's beloved 1977 novel to inspiring and heartbreaking life. The script expertly balances between Jess and Leslie's daily lives the the fantasy world that they create to relate a compelling tale of the power of friendship and imagination. The ways in which the film deftly segues from events in the characters; real lives to the fantastic stories that those events inspire are particularly notable for their ability to highlight the film's themes while still advancing the plot. the film stands apart from most modern family films for its willingness to explore weighty themes such as isolation, guilt, and loss with unflinching honesty. By delving into Jess' grief the film allows young viewers a safe avenue through which to understand the concept of loss and/or process their own grief. As a result, the film offers young audiences lessons in love and loss that will continue to resonate as they grow up while still remaining family friendly. Even as it ventures into difficult topics the film still manages to offer entertaining adventures and inspiring lessons that will keep the whole family returning to Terabithia.
The film brings both the American Midwest and the fantasy world of Terabithia to life thanks to stellar work of its cast. Bailee Madison is a delight as Jess' devoted younger sister, Maybelle. Lauren Clinton captures the outer brutality and inner wounded vulnerability of bully Janice Avery with subtle believability. Robert Patrick conveys the caring beneath the gruff exterior of Jess' stern father. Zooey Deschanel gives Michelle Pfeiffer a run for her money as Jess' inspiring music teacher, Miss Edmonds. Anna Sophia Robb infuses Leslie with a whimsy, charm, and daring that are nothing short of infectious. Josh Hutcherson portrays Jess' coming of age with a raw emotion and subtlety that belie his young hears. Together, Robb and Hutcherson invoke an optimism, innocence, and sense of wonder that will have viewers longing to return to their own childhood adventures.
At once a heartbreaking coming of age story and a testament to the creative spirit The Bridge to Terabithia captures both the magic of childhood and the pain of growing up. The script brilliantly adapts the tragedy of Patterson's novel without sacrificing its message of hope and resilience. The characters leap from the page to the screen thanks to the compelling work of the cast. Relive the adventure of growing up The Bridge to Terabithia.
If you enjoy this story of imagination and friendship be sure to check out my screenplay Daughters of Attrition published by Off the Wall Plays
https://offthewallplays.com/product/daughters-of-attrition-a-screenplay-about-a-girl-from-afghanistan/
