The Bridge

October. 27,2006      
Rating:
7.2
Trailer Synopsis Cast

The Bridge is a controversial documentary that shows people jumping to their death from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco - the world's most popular suicide destination. Interviews with the victims' loved ones describe their lives and mental health.

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Reviews

GazerRise
2006/10/27

Fantastic!

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Glucedee
2006/10/28

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

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KnotStronger
2006/10/29

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

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Iseerphia
2006/10/30

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

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sharris-90157
2006/10/31

Watching this film that contained the bridge dive of I guy I knew was absolutely awful, it was personal and horrible. But it was also steps towards building a suicide net off the bridge , which will go a long way to prevention.

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Irishchatter
2006/11/01

Honestly, you would feel sick after watching those poor individuals jump to their deaths and see how their grieving families have nothing but praise for their loved ones. I kept trying to find out answers in my head on why these people have chosen the Golden Gate Bridge? I'm guessing they probably just use that bridge because of how many feet it was from the bridge to the river. I mean, it is after all 4,200 feet!It just breaks me heart to think these people have ended their lives so suddenly. I know life isn't hunky dory but at the same time, it would've been 10 times better to talk to someone. Unfortunately they had went to the most devastating route that any other human being could experience of being in especially their families. If you ever feel suicidal, please please for your own sake, get help from someone because there is support waiting to hear from you ♡

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Brian Berta
2006/11/02

Everyone seems to be really divided on this movie. I think that it was a great movie but it could've been much better.The Golden Gate Bridge is a really popular suicide site. This documentary talks about the people who committed suicide and it shows interviews with the family's of those who killed themselves.It was a very difficult decision to use actual footage of those who committed suicide but the director was brave enough to do it. The film also got controversy because Eric Steel lied on his permit to the Golden Gate Bridge. This was a very risky film to make because if word got out about it then more people could try to jump to have their deaths recorded. Also, it was shown that suicide rates on the Golden Gate Bridge did in fact increase since the film was released.But all controversy aside, this was actually a good film. It contains an honest look at suicide and the director tried to pay as much respect as possible to the people who lost their lives. Eric Steel looked for the families of the people who lost their lives and he compassionately interviewed them for the film.This movie also has several powerful scenes which can be hard to watch. But this movie's power doesn't really come from its content as much as it comes from the emotional piano score. It's real simple but it's very effective at getting emotions out of the audience. The most powerful scene is the opening in my opinion.But while this is a good work of art, I don't feel that it is really great. After watching the interviews for about an hour, I didn't feel like I was growing substantially from the film. I know that it had a message and I got it but I really didn't feel much of an impact because of it. Also, it can be quite disheartening to know that when someone died on film, the cameramen likely felt satisfaction knowing that they got footage for their film.However, the fact that they refused to tell the family's that they filmed the deaths of their loved ones can be excused because they were trying to do their best to make sure that word didn't come out that they were filming suicides. If it did then they could have caused more suicides as some people would want their deaths to be immortalized on film.In conclusion, this is a pretty good film. It could've been better if they worked on the message of the film more but I still found it to be a powerful film which is an honest look at suicide. I also feel that because of its controversy, it has become somewhat overlooked and misunderstood. I for one liked this film. I'm not sure if I'd watch it again but I do feel that people should give it a second chance.

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J_kotowicz
2006/11/03

The Bridge is a gritty, real, unapologetic way of looking at a touching topic. Suicide is a brutal thing, with so much focused on the newly-dead, no one gets to step back and see the ones left behind. From desperation, failed attempts at love, broken lives and mental illness; The Bridge offers a up-front, graphic, look at the heartbreak people suffer. You see people in their last moments. Some take a while and contemplate, others simply do what they came to do. Either way, whatever your religious, otherworldly opinion is, you will be left saying: "I've just seen a person die." The most touching thing, both heartbreaking and heartfelt at the same time, is seeing the absence left behind. Some understand, others are hurt, others simply dismiss it. But this is a movie about grief, parallel with some amazing scenery. Constant Life and Death imagery helps reinforce the fact that people die everyday. Even on beautiful, sunny days.

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