It seems strange to me that I never read the book as a kid, but I didn’t. Haven’t seen the trailer, either. Oddly enough, the director and the stars visited my kids’ school the other week, and my kids came home with a bunch of autographed stuff. Gabor Csupo’s name sort of rang a bell for me, and when I looked it up in Wikipedia, I went, “Oh, yeah – Rugrats!” I didn’t know previously about the *Simpsons *connection. But it does seem odd – from the *Rugrats *and the *Simpsons *to Bridge to Terabithia? Hollywood moves in mysterious ways.
I never read the book and knew nothing about. We just got back from seeing the movie and based on comments in this thread I think it’s safe to say the movie is pretty faithful to the book.
All the fun exciting stuff in the trailer? Well, if that’s what you want (we did) then stay home and watch the trailer over and over because what’s in the 30 second trailer is about all the special effects shown in the whole movie.
I was bored and tapping my feet for what felt like the whole first hour. When does the cool stuff start?
Knowing what the movie is now, I’d say it’s a nice little story and maybe worth viewing again some day. But not knowing beforehand made it disappointing. I wasn’t in the mood for what the movie turned out to be.
My only negative remark is too much blurring of Terabithia into reality, but at least its all kept in the forest & doesn’t take too much time of the movie.
My BIG positive, because it improves on the book, the adults are real characters. In the book, the main teacher was a focus for Jesse’s contempt and mockery, and his parents, especially his mother, were insecure dolts (especially compared to Leslie’s intelligent sophisticated parents), only showing any depth or sympathetic aspects after the crisis. Now, maybe because that’s because the book is written from a kid’s POV, but I don’t think that POV would’ve translated well into the movie. As a result, Kate Butler was a warm minor character as Jesse’s Mom while Robert Patrick rocked as his Dad. Bailee Madison was totally adorable as MayBelle.
And AnnaSophia Robb… radiant!
Dear God, please keep her from the Lindsay Lohan path!
Waterworks? Dude, I’m outta there. I’m one of the people running the film club at church and I have not nearly the control I’d like. I try to steer clear of “touching” and “inspirational” because I’m the first one sniffling in a room full of old ladies and it ruins my carefully-constructed macho facade.
I think the film did a pretty good job of adapting the book. Sure, they put a lot more fairies and stuff, but that’s because those things are visual and make good film and poor words.
Come on, you know real men can cry in front of old ladies- and old ladies have younger daughters or granddaughters they can introduce to us real men who are secure enough to cry.
Took my kids to see this over the weekend, with no prior knowledge of the book. My eight year old had been read this book in class, and my eleven year old is reading it for class. Both liked it, thought it was sad with happy spots, but neither was overwrought by it. Good story, some pretty good acting. I thought Jess was well cast, in that he seemed like a normal kid. AnnaSophia is way adorable but not exactly classically beautiful, and does quirky tomboy just enough to pull it off. And I am officially in love with Zooey Dechanel, who is Jess’s crush, although a bit dubious about her taking a pre-adolescent out, one-on-one, to a museum. The ultimate entering puberty fantasy for all straight boys out there. Also thought the young girl who played the troll was excellent in her part.
I think it is OK to revive a peaceful thread in the Café, so here goes.
I just saw this movie this morning and I thought it was great. I have never read the book, but my wife liked the book and it is in the house.
I was completely caught off guard by Leslie dying off screen and it worked better for me than a movie I saw it compared to My Girl. I really enjoyed this movie and thought they did a good job with it.
I wonder if anyone else has since seen the movie on video or cable?
What did you think of it removed from the controversy of the misleading trailers?
I can’t remember who mentioned this quote, but whoever you were, thanks:
The studio didn’t know how to sell this touching and moving film, so they focused on what the could sell and dumped it. Yeah, it made me cry - a 6’ tall, 300 lb man blubbering. Not a pretty sight. But so what? Are we supposed to pretend that death does not exist? It’s a lesson that every single human being must learn and this book and film conveys the lesson beautifully, and deals with the grief, anger and guilt that a child is going to feel. I don’t think I’d show it to a six year old, but an 11 year old? Absolutely!