There is no kissing in Bridge to Terabithia, the screen adaptation of the popular 1977 children's book by Katherine Paterson. But the movie, which stars Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb as two lonely children with a shared vision, is a heartfelt tale about first love.
Most people mistake love for dating. But love, at its truest, is more about two people sharing the same dream than the same bed. It is about seeking beauty together in everyday things, thriving on each other's imagination of a better world and bringing hope to each other when life gets tough.
This is what the introverted Jess (Hutcherson) and the spirited Leslie (Robb), both outsiders at school, do in the movie. The film is directed by Gabor Csupo and written by Jeff Stockwell and David Paterson, the son of the author.
Jess and Leslie venture into the forest behind their homes, find a broken tree house and, thanks to their creativity (Jess is a talented artist and Leslie is a gifted storyteller), they create an imaginary kingdom known as Terabithia.
This is a fairytale world where trees are giants and dragonflies are tiny soldiers. This is also the place where Jess and Leslie talk about their family and plot against school bullies.
For the very first time, the pair - despite their different family backgrounds - find friendship and acceptance.