Gabor Csupo. Heard of him? No? Perhaps you've heard of some of the actors he's worked with: Tommy Pickles, Ronald McDonald, Duckman, Scooby Doo, or his money maker, Homer Simpson? You can now add to that list a group of real life, blood actors. This animator and producer of Rugrats, The Wild Thornberries, and The Simpsons (dating all the way back to the Tracy Ullman Show) has crossed the bridge to live filmmaking, and it's a commendable journey.
Somebody over at Disney took a gamble on Csupo, but considering that it's a movie with some animation that deals with a main character who loves to draw, perhaps this risk made perfect sense. Bridge To Terabithia is a heartwarming family movie about a young farmer boy, Jess (Josh Hutcherson). With the help of a sassy, earthy, pretty new girl-next-door, Leslie (Anna Sophia Robb), he learns to use his imagination to stand up for himself at school, deal with his difficult home life, and follow his dreams. Leslie has a vivid imagination, and she and Jess journey into the magical land of her creation, Terabithia, via an old rope swing over a little brook.
Terabithia itself doesn't end up being the main focus of the film. Instead, it becomes a tool used to tell the greater story. But what is that story?
At points, the movie feels choppy. It gets broken down into three main sections: when the two friends meet, when their friendship grows, and finally, what happens after a major turning point in their lives. Terabithia is something of a constant through these moments, and helps string them together, but it isn't the star. When you remember that this movie was once a book that you read in the fifth grade, it all falls into place.
The film is not about Terabithia. It is about Jess. It's about his young life and a series of events that will change him forever. While most movies have a singular idea and plot, this movie actually tackles many, much like a book. These moments are chapters, and when you accept them as such, the flow returns to the film.
In the end, Terabithia means only as much to us as it means to the boy. Terabithia is unlike The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and Harry Potter, where we are asked to believe these places exist, that they are real, and that our heroes are thrust into them. Terabithia is the creation of our heroes' imagination, and without them, it does not exist, and that makes their lives far more important than the land itself. In this way, Terabithia mirrors Pan's Labyrinth where the main character is more important than the fantasy.
The acting in this film succeeds on different levels. Hutcherson and Robb are charming, simple, and sweet, as is their small co-star Bailee Madison (who is unbearably cute). For these charming actors, there are no bold achievements, but no failures either. The story takes care of the emotion for them. The same goes for Zooey Deschanel, whom you might remember as Buddy's love interest in Elf. No big risks, no big falls, just following the story. And sometimes, that's just what you need to do.
The true acting achievement in this movie comes from the most unlikely of places. Screen veteran Robert Patrick, (the evil cop in Terminator II) who plays Jess' tough but loving father. Patrick keeps something below the surface at all times. In the end his outer shell is broken down to reveal tenderness toward Jess that hadn't seemed likely, but still, seemed real.
For the rest of the actors, they come off more like one of Csupo's two-dimensional characters. This is always the danger when you enter the realm of child acting, but due to the strong story and solid performances out of the aforementioned actors, they don't really hurt the movie (although at one point, when Jess punches the school bully played by Camoron Wakefield in the face, you can't help but wonder if it was for his mean comment or his poor delivery).
In the end, Bridge to Terabithia is a compelling family film that's heart-warming and enriching for all ages. It's got some funny moments, is entertaining to watch, and is surprisingly touching. Csupo has real talent with a camera and an eye for casting. Perhaps he should trade in his pencil for a 35 mm more often. In Terabithia the lines between reality and fiction are bridged, and we start to believe - if not in a magical land then at least in humanity and possibility. B+
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