An Overview of “Bridge to Terabithia” - an Adaptation of Paterson’s Novel
Anyone who has read Katherine Paterson’s Newberry Medal-winning novel, knows better than to become too overly attached to the main characters, for one character entails heartbreak for the captivated viewer.
Despite a trailer advertising end-to-end special effects, “Bridge to Terabithia” is anchored more in reality than in fantasy. An adaptation of Katherine Paterson’s award-winning novel, the screenwriters David Paterson (Ms. Paterson’s son) and Jeff Stockwell produce a thought-provoking and influencing story of a transforming friendship between two gifted children. The result is a movie whose emotional depth may appeal more to adults than children.
Jess Aarons (Josh Hutcherson) is a fifth grader with four sisters, financially challenged parents and a talent of drawing. An introverted kid who is regularly picked on by the school bullies, he makes friends with the newcomer, free spirit Leslie Burke (AnnaSophia Robb), whose parents, both writers, are oblivious to the world outside of the ones on their papers. Attracted by their differences, Jess and Leslie form an unlikely friendship fed by her words and his drawings. Together they create a kingdom of their own, in the woods behind their houses, where the rules are their own and their minds can roam free.
Beautifully capturing the ways in which a school bully may loom as large as a troll and how one word or action may change the course of a life, “Bridge to Terabithia” keeps fantasy in the background, instead choosing to portray how magic can be found in the mundane. Gabor Csupo, one of the creators of “Rugrats”, directs this and beautifully allows each personality more than one distinguishing trait, revelling in each tiny, perfect detail; tape holding a pair of rugged sneakers from falling apart, one glance replacing an entire conversation, the isolation felt by two people wishing to swap lives with the other.
The movie features strong performances from all the leads, including Zooey Deschanel as a spirited music teacher and little Bailey Madison as Jess’s little sister, May Belle, and so handles adult topics with ease and sensitivity. As the emotional landscape darkens, viewers who have not read the book would be pleasantly surprised at the way filmmakers evoke sorrow without resorting to sentimentality or shock, meaning that children would most likely sniffle, but would not be left traumatised.
In conclusion, consistently tough but fragile as a diamond, ‘Bridge to Terabithia' is the sort of movie rarely seen. Produced at a time in which schools were forced to cut music and art from the curriculum, the movie is both a welcome and necessary reminder of the healing power of imagination.
