Eric Steel's the Bridge: Documentary Review

Did you know the Golden Gate Bridge is the most frequented spot for committing suicide in the whole world? In 2004, 24 people called it quits by hurling their bodies over the bridge and falling at an estimated speed of 120mph, in a glorious freefall of 3 to 4 seconds, until hitting the water. And then, lights out. The impact of the water has been likened to slamming into concrete, due to the sheer height and speed of the fall from the bridge.

Eric Steel's documentary, The Bridge, released in 2006, captures a handful of individuals making their final peace with the earth before jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. Steel set up cameras around the bridge, aiming at well-known "hot spots." What he films leaves the viewer with an emotional disparity, ranging from intrigue, sorrow, emptiness and shame.

The film weaves around one individual whose physically-visible contemplation can be seen as he paces along the bridge, periodically looking over, then sitting on the railing, only to get back on his feet again. He is a long-haired, almost-gothic man in his thirties. Between clips of him on the bridge, Steel interviews the families of the other victims he captured jumping from the bridge. One similarity among those being interviewed is that they were helpless to stop their loved one from killing themselves.

As the film ends, we see the final jump, carried out by the man the viewer has heard most about from his closest friends. It is by far the most dramatic jump on the film.

The Bridge is the first film Eric Steel has directed. Films Steel has produced include: Shaft, Angela's Ashes, and Bringing Out the Dead. He is currently producing the film Julie & Julia, which is scheduled for release in 2009.