Movie Review: Broken Bridges - Page 3

Most people who learned of Toby’s interest in making a movie figured he would go in for a high-octane action adventure film. As noted in the special features, that was his first inclination as well, but other people in the business advised him to stick closer to the bone at first. They wanted him to play a character that he knew inside and out. Bo Price is just that character, and Toby’s expertise at showing the emotional struggles Bo has (including those long silences when you know he simply doesn’t have the words for how he feels) show up on the screen.

Toby really comes to life with the music in the show. Or when he has a guitar in hand. Those scenes (including the ones at the small town bar and picking the guitar on the front porch with his daughter or other musicians, and even singing gospel with Willie Nelson) are spectacular and moving. Toby’s trying on the acting hat, but he’s a musician to the bone. You can see it every time because he just lights up and has a blast.

The story shifts a bit, as if finding its true center, then focuses on the changes that Dixie Leigh (Lindsey Haun), Bo’s daughter, goes through. That journey of self-discovery and connecting with her parents, as well as the tragedy and love that bound them and nearly destroyed them, is a simple story with a predictable happy ending. But that’s what I sat down for when I popped the DVD into the player. Broken Bridges delivers exactly what you think a film like this will deliver, and it does it in a gentle way that truly touches the heart at times.

This is a great movie for family nights because there is no harsh violence and no bad language. And it’s one that just deep enough to encourage repeated viewings by more than just Toby’s many fans.

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Article Author: Mel Odom

Mel Odom is the author of over 100 novels. Winner of the American Library Association's Alex Award for 2002 and runner-up for the Christy in 2005, he's written in several genres, including tie-in novels for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and novelizations of Blade, XXX, and Tomb Raider. …

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Article comments

  • 1 - elsietee

    Jan 09, 2007 at 10:59 pm

    Yours was the best review I've read! I totally agree with you! I loved it! All 5 times!! LOL! Three thumbs up!!

  • 2 - amy

    May 22, 2007 at 4:17 pm

    I really liked this movie, although I only saw 25 minutes of it (i fell asleep) but it showed how a trajedy can bring people together wether they want another person there or not. Lindsay Haun's song is really insprintional. It really applied to me so im totally in love with it. I LOVE THIS MOVIE.

  • 3 - Brandi

    May 29, 2007 at 5:00 pm

    Wow....that's all I can say. Just saw this movie yesterday and let me tell you, there are some real tear-jerker moments in it. I really liked this movie a lot because I think that it truly depicts the world today. So many mothers go out on there own to raise a child and so many children often wonder who their father is because of that (actually it could go both ways, maybe the father raised the child). I have always liked country music while my husband is more into classic rock. He even sat down to watch the movie with me. Ofcourse he laughed at me (as usual) when he turned to look at me with tears rolling down my face when Lindsey Haun sang her song "Broken". I absolutely loved the song and I think that people can really relate to the words.

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