The Bridge
This is a documentary about The Golden Gate Bridge, specifically about how many people go there to kill themselves by jumping off. The director spent a year filming scenes of the bridge and talking with people associated with various persons who intended to end everything there.
I found a really interesting contrast between the people who accepted what had happened, in some cases knew in advance that some day their loved ones would take their lives, and then the other people who can’t fathom this sort of thing. I’m not saying either way is right, but to me, it’s one example of there being an area where there really are just two kinds of people – those who get this and those who don’t.
It’s the sort of movie you almost don’t want to like, simply because of the subject matter. I think there will naturally be people who don’t, but I for one did like it. I didn’t know before seeing this that it’s the number one place people go to kill themselves, I guess mostly because I hadn’t really thought about it before. Jumping off things in a general sense holds no interest for me, so it’s never occurred to me as a good method for killing oneself.
I especially found touching the story of Philip, as his parents kind of knew this was something he had been moving towards for a long time, and they did their best to help him along the way but ultimately couldn’t do anything to fix it. Sometimes there is simply something that doesn’t work for people, and regardless of their life or personal situation, they don’t see any other way.
Whether you understand the suicide impulse or not, I think this is a touching movie and worth watching. Plus it’s just barely over an hour and a half, so if you don’t like it there isn’t a long time commitment.
My Rating: 3/5
