The Bridge (2015)

The movie receives the worst rating possible because it is not a complete movie. Without any prior warning in repeat performances, the movie ends with "to be continued". (I don't know if there was warning when it was first broadcast.) While this is done in some regular TV shows, or in mini-series, I believe it is unprecedented in a full two hour TV-movie where the continuation is not shown until a year later. In TV shows, one at least learns to be wary of such things and hopefully the conclusion is not delayed too long. In a mini-series, it is usually obvious. I consider this irresponsible broadcasting and I'm really glad I never saw this until it was shown with the sequel immediately following it. Hopefully, no one finds a DVD somewhere with only the one movie without realizing it is a two part story.I also feel justified in rating it poorly because it is incomplete as it stands. I am posting a review of the complete two part story under Part 2.

This movie was a profound disappointment. First, let's not call it a movie. It's really a series but one doesn't find this out until the final frame...to be continued--Christmas 2016? After resisting throwing something at the TV, I just shouted, "Are you kidding me?" What's bad about that, one might ask. Seeing series/episode 2 requires one to have some continuity from season one, something which is possible only if one can remember details from such a horrid production. Completely forgettable and worse, completely dishonest.Not only are we tricked when a conclusion is stolen, unresolved, empty, i.e. postponed for a year, but we have to suffer through such preachy dialog. Stupidly, I watched and waited for something worthy to happen. Maybe after this commercial, I told myself.The synopsis was misleading too. I reread the synopsis a dozen times, thinking someone was asleep at the keyboard, confusing it with another movie. Where's the rescue? The bookstore isn't failing, it's thriving. Go figure. Where's the hometown? Sadly, nothing will save this mess.

Hallmark is seriously delusional if they think anyone will care in 12 months what happens in this movie. The story is almost nonexistent, the young malelead is vapid and has only one facial expression, and nothing really happens until the token "misunderstanding" that could have been resolved with one good question. The down and out bookstore seems to be the biggest game in town and has no problem staying vital to the community. Every cliché in the book is well covered in this trite and stale offering. I do like Faith Ford and she does bring the only depth and story line to this sad effort.A big letdown from the Hallmarks of the past. This is a clunker.

This is a great movie with all the emotional content you've come to expect in a Hallmark Christmas movie. However, what they don't tell you until the very, VERY end is that you'll have to wait another year to see Part 2. I feel the movie was at least an 8 out of 10, but I gave it a 1 for dishonest marketing!What a setup to only have your heart crushed. Merry Christmas, Hallmark! It'll take me two or three days to get over this. Shame on you. To make it worse, IMDb shows no pre-production or filming for either of the lead actors for part 2. This means it's likely already made and in the can. I thought about buying the book to find out how it ends, but I'm not going to financially support this deception.