The Bridge (2006)

Okay, so let's get this out there, The Bridge is a film about Suicide, it is not a cheery film, in fact at times it is a deeply depressing and disturbing film, that is not to say that it is a nasty film or unenjoyable (though I don't know if enjoyable is the right word). In this film, documentarian Eric Steel filmed the Golden Gate Bridge for a year, his intention being to capture people taking their own lives in what is supposedly the most popular suicide destination in the world. The idea of the film isn't that of a sick interest in the macabre, more so it is a film that looks at the nature of suicide, what can drive people to that stage in their lives, the thoughts that people have before they jump, and what draws them to a particular spot where they do so.

Many ethical questions arise when presented with a film like this. Suicide must surely be one of the most personal things you can do, so to have someone film it and present it to the rest of the world somehow feels a little off, however Steel counters this with interviews with very willing family and friends of the deceased who talk about their loved ones, and what they were like, in these moments the film feels like a celebration of life, only to make the event you see all the more poignant when it occurs. Another question I had when I read the back of the DVD was, Why didn't they stop it if they were filming it!? It seemed crazy to simply let over 20 people kill themselves when you were in a position to stop it. Apparently the film makers, however, would call the authorities whenever they saw someone climbing the barrier, by doing so they prevented some, though obviously not all, of the attempts that year, we can only hope those people went on to seek help instead of simply returning.

So with some of my moral dilemmas answered I viewed the film feeling a little more at ease with the idea. Despite the fact that many of the deaths are filmed at a distance, and are in no way graphic, it still makes shocking and disturbing viewing from the start. The film talks to the relatives, asking them not only about the person, but about the difficulties that they were facing, and about their mental history. Also interviewed is a young man who attempted to kill himself only to change himself on the fall. This makes for one of the most engaging interviews in the film, as he describes in great detail the thoughts he went through and the process he went through to get to the barrier on the bridge and over it. He seemed relatively at ease during the interview (which is intercut with an interview with his dad, adding to the story in a way that only a parent can).

I can't say much more about this film, as it is what it is. It is not exploitative (or at least I didn't feel so), it does try and raise awareness of the issue of suicide, an issue which needs to be raised, and it is both tasteful and beautiful (in a very morbid way). It will haunt you after you watch it, but I also feel that it is a film that is definitely worth watching, as it is fascinating, and you will probably see a little of yourself in one of those people featured, making the whole thing more relevant, eerie and thought provoking. Disturbing doesn't always have to be a bad thing.