Plot Summary
Jackson’s life has never been the same ever since his father committed suicide. Searching for reasons why, he begins examining his late father’s belongings and begins to go to the places he went in order to discover his father’s secret double life. In order to do this, he teams up with a girl he met in the office of his new psychologist. Their journey takes them further than they ever expected as they discover a terrible family secret that could bring healing if reckoned with.
Production Quality (.5 point)
Unfortunately, the production quality of Hope Bridge almost renders it unwatchable. The camera work is very poor; the camera angles confuse the audience and the video quality is grainy. The sets, in an assumed attempt to be realistic, are sloppy in their construction. The editing is questionable, since some scenes repeat over again for no particular reason and since some scenes cut back and forth with no warning or meaning. Any good elements in a movie can be greatly detracted from by poor production quality; such is the case with Hope Bridge.
Plot and Storyline Quality (1.5 points)
Hope Bridge is a noble attempt to present the important issue of suicide in a meaningful way. However, the attempt falls flat. The plot is very vanilla and not dynamic at all. The dialogue is head-scratching and un-compelling. All the characters seem perpetually somber and appear generally lifeless. Too much time is spent ‘investigating’ in night clubs and driving around and not enough time is spent developing the characters or presenting the issues in a palatable manner. Furthermore, the few elements related to psychology and counseling are incorrect and misleading. Were more correct elements included in regards to mental health counseling, this plot could have improved. As it is, the only positive about the plot is its noteworthy attempt to discuss suicide and generational patterns.
Acting Quality (.5 point)
While the actors did not have much dialogue to work with, the delivery of the lines is facepalm-worthy. Some of the actors seem aloof and detached from the story while some seem mired in self-pity. Believable emotion is absent. One actor in particular seems to make sarcastic jokes out of everything—Box Office Revolution is unsure whether or not she is making fun of the movie or if she is just an awkward actor. In short, the acting is another element that can make or break a movie with most audiences, and Hope Bridge does not pass the test.
Conclusion
Suicide is a very important subject that does need to be portrayed in Christian movies. The same can be said for mental health and generational patterns. While Hope Bridge tries to incorporate these issues into the movie, all that ends up happening is the creation of another low-quality Christian movie, thus a disservice to the Christian cause. BOR realizes that everyone has meager beginnings, but they should not include unintentional detraction from Christianity.
Final Rating: 2.5 out of 10 points
Box Office Revolution 