question about "Bridge to Tarabithia" movie

I loved Disney and Walden Media's film version of Bridge To Terabithia, but it made me curious about something. I've often heard it said that any good story needs conflict. It that actually true, and if so, what's the conflict in Bridge to Tarabithia?

edited 19th Jan '11 3:26:09 PM by 411314

What's the movie about? Beginning to end?

It doesn't have any real conflict to speak of, which is why it is such a terrible film (and book).

Whoa, whoa, WHOA.

What? No, that book was awesome.

The conflict is the girl's death thingy

Not every good story/plot needs to have conflict/resolution. While it's a good model to follow for basic, more traditional storylines, it doesn't mean deviating from it will result in crap, if you know what you're doing. I would say a miniature version of the conflict/resolution would be from Leslie's death and Jesse going from grief to acceptance.

I've only read the book, so this is just coming from one angle. It's a coming of age story. The biggest, overarching "conflict" is Jesse changing from one stage of his life to another. He's starts opening his mind more to things and investing himself in interests (like drawing) that he probably would have shunned before. The death of Leslie is a sort of ultimate roadblock he must overcome in order to achieve a greater sense of confidence and maturity to keep moving forward in his life. :3

Another conflict one can see out of these movies is the culturethat Jess lives in is adverse to him following his dreams, and Leslie eventually helps him "open his mind".

I can personally relate to that, because some parts of Virginia are like that.

Wait...it is set in Va right?

Well I believe the book was explicitly so while the film never says but simply portrays it as what I could believably imagine to be rural Virginia.

There's definitely conflict in the movie (I can't speak for the book since I haven't re-read it in a very long time). There's Jess' conflict with struggling to gain his father's attention and approval, his conflict with bullies at school (although that's minor), and there's conflict of coming to grips with reality when Leslie dies; does this count as It Was His Sled yet?.

I see Bridge To Terabithia and its associated Death by Newbery Medal attitude as being why my appreciation for tragedy was delayed.