| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Movie Name | Bridge to Terabithia (2007) |
| Director | Gábor Csupó |
| Writer | David Paterson, Jeff Stockwell, Katherine Paterson (novel) |
| Lead Actor | Josh Hutcherson |
| Cast | Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel, Robert Patrick, Bailee Madison |
| Genre | Adventure, Drama, Family |
| Release Date | February 16, 2007 (United States) |
| Duration | 1h 36m |
| Budget | $20 million |
| Language | English |
| IMDb Rating | 7.2/10 |
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Terabithia tells the story of two middle school misfits who discover together the power of imagination to free them from bullies and to discover their true potential. I put it in the parable category, because the many worthwhile lessons it clearly intends to teach are unmistakable.
Jesse Aarons (Josh Hutcherson) is an eighth grader who is feeling overwhelmed in a family with four sisters. His financially struggling father is disappointed in him. He tells Jesse to get his head out of the clouds, and wishes he would take an interest in cars instead of drawing. On his first day back at school it is apparent that Jesse will continue to be ridiculed by bullies. Leslie Burke (Anna Sophia Robb) is a new girl in his class who becomes an instant outcast as well, bullied by a large, mean-spirited girl named Janice (Lauren Clinton).
As fate would have it, Leslie’s family has just moved in down the road from Jesse, and the two become friends. At Leslie’s urging they risk swinging across a nearby creek on a rope and enter a wild forest complete with an abandoned tree house. On repeated visits to the forest they repair the tree house and, in their imaginations, transform the forest into a magical place where together they can triumph over threatening forces.
Birds and squirrels become attacking beasts, and creaking trees become hulking giants. One amusing fantasy detail is the way the tree giant takes on the facial features of the bully Janice, who then becomes a benign giant when Leslie wins her over in their real world.
Bridge to Terabithia is based on Katherine Paterson’s book, which is very popular in schools. which showes the importance of relationships, the need for tolerance and trust, the power of the imagination, self-identity and finding your own unique place in the world, and dealing with grief.
An interesting production detail is that Katherine Paterson was inspired to write the book as a way to explain grieving to her young son David, when a friend of his was killed, and David Paterson is now serving as the co-writer and co-producer of the movie.
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