Bridge to Terabithia

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Beautiful lesson in friendship for young and old.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie based on Katherine Paterson's classic children's novel isn't a fantasy adventure as much as it is a thoughtful drama. The story includes mature themes about loneliness, platonic love, parental affection, family relationships, religious/class differences, and even death. For example, a financially troubled father is emotionally distant from his son, while the mother seems too overwhelmed with five kids to connect to any of them. At school, kids are ridiculed because of their appearance, and a bully and her associates routinely terrorize younger kids. Potential spoiler alert: Due to a central character's death, sensitive children (or those who've experienced the loss of a loved one) may need to be comforted after the film.

  • Kids will learn important lessons about friendship and imagination.
  • Through an incredible friendship, a child learns that if you open your mind and heart, you can unlock the magic and the beauty in every person and situation. Strong messages about individuality. There are also serious themes relating to loneliness and even death, but they're treated thoughtfully.
  • Leslie is a strong, creative, independent role model for tween girls.
    Jess is less sure of himself but undergoes some profound changes over the course of the movie. Some pranks are played at others' expense, but the instigators either get
    appropriately punished or feel contrite.
  • A main character has a tragic accident. With cause, a boy punches another boy in the face. A teen bully pushes and menaces younger kids.
  • The main characters share an intense, affectionate friendship. Characters write a fake love letter to a teenage girl. A boy stares at and has an obvious crush on a teacher.
  • Mild insults among siblings and school-aged kids; a father makes a couple of hurtful comments. A few uses of "damn" and "hell."
  • Barbie dolls, Twinkies, and Oreos make brief appearances.

What's the story?

Based on Katherine Paterson's Newbery Medal-winning 1977 book, this touching adaptation is the ultimate story of boy-girl friendship. Forget the zeitgeist of iPod-carrying, text-messaging, gadget-obsessed tweens, and meet two 10-year-olds who prefer to use their imaginations. Despite their different upbringings, Jess Aarons (Josh Hutcherson) -- a poor mechanic/small-time farmer's son -- and his neighbor Leslie Burke (a glowing AnnaSophia Robb) -- the only daughter of intellectual back-to-the-landers -- form a fast friendship. When Leslie decides that they need a special place to call their own, the two construct a magical land in the woods behind their houses, a secret kingdom dubbed "Terabithia" that's populated by wonders only they can see. And though Jess and Leslie's friendship continues to grow, as in the book, it doesn't devolve into pre-adolescent dating. It's as true a friendship as fiction offers. When tragedy strikes, quickly and unexpectedly, the fragility of Terabithia is exposed. Yet somehow, the magic continues.


Is it any good?

 

Like Narnia, only the initiated can see Terabithia's wonder, and the two young leads ably lead the audience into their secret kingdom, which is full of buzzing fairies and flying, rodent-like evildoers. As their imaginary world develops, each contributes their talents to the task: Leslie builds, and Jess draws.

Outside of Terabithia, the best friends share glimpses into the other's life: Leslie goes to church for the first time, and Jess hangs out with her laid-back parents. At school they delight in the weekly visit of breezy music teacher Ms. Edmonds (Zooey Deschanel, looking exactly like the beautiful teacher every student loves). BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA is not only one of the best family films of 2007, it's one of the finest film adaptations of children's literature.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about what made Jess and Leslie such good friends. What did they teach each other? Were they boyfriend and girlfriend or something different? Why is that rare?

  • Why was it so important for Jess and Leslie to have a
    "place just for us"? Kids: Do you have your own special place, or your
    own Jess or Leslie?

  • If you've read the novel, how is the movie
    different? Parents should encourage kids who haven't read it yet to get
    a copy. And if you're willing, read along -- it's a wonderful book. For
    more ideas, see our discussion guide.


This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
Teen, 17 years old
March 13, 2010
 
The Stupidest Movie I've Ever Seen (Besides Transformers 2)
Who in the world said this movie has good role models? Who in the world said it was good? Who in the world says it was educational? Who in the world wrote this movie? Who in the world wrote the book? I'm gonna give you the lowdown on the whole movie, beginning to end: the movie starts out when a boy, about 10, goes to a new school and makes a friend who is a girl. Not girlfriend, just girl, although the girl may have had a crush on the boy, there's nothing I remember that indicates one or the other. There are bullies at their school that the kids never (without violence) stand up to. The filmakers give false advertising to say this movie has magical creatures in it. In actuality, the creatures are just imagined by the two kids when they swing across a river on a maybe 50-year-old rope, and those sequences only last about two minutes or less. The monsters act like the school bullies, etc. That's how they deal with bullies: they run away. After class, the boy watches his teacher, maybe 25 years older than he is, walk to her car with a dumbfounded look on his face, "My, she's pretty. I want to marry her right now." The teacher returns this gesture by calling him up and asking him if he wants to visit an art gallery or something of the like. If I remember correctly, she refers to it as a kind of field trip. But she told the kid they'd be the only two on the trip. The kid runs away in the afternoon to go on a date with his favorite teacher. The teacher drives the kid home safe and sound, then his parents come running out of the house, "Where were you? We had the whole state after you. By the way, that girl you mentioned. She died today. Yep, washed down a river." The End. The morals: If a school bully messes with you, either run away or punch him in the face and be sure not to tell your parents. If you find a rickety old rope, swing across it and hope it doesn't snap. It's okay to have a crush on your teachers when you're ten years old, or anyone for that matter. (heaven help the kid when he's older.) If your teacher calls you and asks if you want to go somewhere alone, eagerly say yes and, again, make sure your parents don't know. Now, what do you think of these morals? Very good, aren't they? And you can learn a lot from this movie. But only if, before you watch it, you tell your kids, "Never do anything you see people do in this movie."

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Teen, 15 years old
February 21, 2010
 
R-E-A-L-L-Y sad!
REALLY sad! leslie dies, which is a real shocker. the movie seems kid-friendly at first, but it kinda turns around after her death. i was amazed at the nerve moviemakers have putting such a tragic death in a kid movie. apart from that, ok, but it can get confusing.

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Adult
October 25, 2009
 
This is an excellent movie. It tells a good story, the characters are compelling and realistic. The two main characters Jess & Leslie, as well as the two teachers Miss Edmunds (music) & Mrs Myers (English) {especially when she emotionally speaks of loss to Jess} provide excellent role models for children and young teens. Although I wish the character of Leslie did not die, and the story went a different direction; it is the very depth of loss that gives this story power. The death of my mother before I turned 13, as well as several other deaths that occured when I was near the age of the characters, clouds my objectivity I think. There are many good lessons of redemption, beyond the main plot. Such as with the class bully (Janice) and between Jess and his father, and of course Jess and May Belle.

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Parent of 7 and 12 year old
March 22, 2010
 
Powerful. Beautiful. Deals with death and loss head on. Parents should preview.
Emotional maturity is an absolute pre-requisite for anyone watching this movie. Jessie's friend Leslie is an extraordinarily gifted girl, full of imagination and love. Her death was wrenching and upsetting to this adult to the point that I have never been able to watch the movie a second time, nor have I shared it with my children or spouse. This is a wonderful, beautiful, powerful film, but it raises disturbing issues of responsibility and dealing with personal loss. Parents should view it before sharing it with children of any age.

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Teen, 15 years old
March 7, 2010
 
Iffy for ages 9-10
I saw this movie when I was little, it made me cry.

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Teen, 14 years old
May 15, 2011
 

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Teen, 15 years old
April 21, 2010
 
Good movie adapation...tearjerker.
If you're one of those people who need their movies really close to the book, you may not like this movie. It plays heavy on the fantasy. But if you don't mind too much, you'll love this movie. It's touching and really well done in my mind. I've seen it several time, but I still die every time Leslie dies. Her death is offscreen, but it's still pretty upsetting.

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Parent of 19 year old
September 29, 2009
 
this movie was....
this movie was great but very sad! one of the main charecters die (off screen) but it is no less dramatic and sad.

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Parent of 12 year old
February 16, 2010
 
Great story with los of adventure. It might be a bit sad for kids to watch the loss of a main and dear character. It is a good story with some really great messages

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This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
Topics:magic and fantasy, book characters, friendship, great boy role models, great girl role models, misfits and underdogs
Studio:Buena Vista
Director:Gabor Csupo
Cast:AnnaSophia Robb, Josh Hutcherson, Zooey Deschanel
Genre:Family and Kids
Run time:95 minutes
Theatrical release date:February 15, 2007
DVD release date:June 19, 2007
MPAA rating:PG
MPAA explanation:thematic elements including bullying, some peril and mild language

This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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