The Bridge (2006/I)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Eric Steel

Release Date:

16 February 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

Be afraid of what lies beneath...

Plot:

People suffer largely unnoticed while the rest of the world goes about its business. This is a documentary...

Plot Keywords:

Bridge | Suicide | Golden Gate Bridge | San Francisco

Cast

John Snowden

...

Lloyd Spencer

MPAA:

Rated R for disturbing content involving suicide, and for some language.

Runtime:

UK:93 min (unrated version)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | UK:18 | Italy:VM14 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Brazil:12 | Australia:MA | New Zealand:R18

Filming Locations:

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Easy There Tiger Productions

Trivia:

Steel interviewed relatives of the suicide victims, not informing them that he had footage of their loved ones' deaths. Later, he claimed that "the family members now, at this point, have seen the film, [and are] glad that they participated in it."

Quotes:

Witness: [after witnessing a suicide] When I talked to the highway patrolman, I asked him "Is this a rare occurrence or does this happen a lot?" And he looked and me and he sort of smiled and he said, "It happens all the time."

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Goodbye and Good Luck (#8.7)" (2007)

More than just shock value

This film's got a lot of publicity due to the controversial nature of a small amount of its content - namely people jumping from the bridge. There is so much more to this film than that.

Yes, its shocking, yes its heartbreaking but by talking to the families and friends of the jumpers there is a tremendous insight into the true ramifications of suicide. Some families/friends come to terms with it, some don't. Some realise that their friend/relation is now at peace, while some are angry at the selfishness of it. I found a lot of the film life affirming, it also features a survivor and someone who was rescued at the last moment. This really isn't a ghoulish film.

It's an excellent documentary that makes no judgements. All it does is spotlight something in society that we don't like to talk about in an intelligent, compassionate and unbiased way. There is so much more to this film than just the shock value, hopefully people will see that.

For what its worth I felt that by deciding to take their own lives in a public forum the jumpers had forgone the right to privacy in their final moments. I didn't feel like a voyeur. I recommend this film very highly.