Ruby Bridges Movie Review (2024)

Positive Messages

a lot

Spiritual faith and strong family ties can provide people with confidence, emotional strength, and a sense of purpose. Don't judge people by the color of their skin. Everyone deserves equal education and fair treatment, no matter their race or social standing. Fighting for change can be difficult but can also bring great rewards. Forgive your enemies because anger can be futile and self-defeating.

Positive Role Models

a lot

Ruby's parents make personal sacrifices so their daughter can pursue a better education. Mrs. Henry treats Ruby and her mother with respect and kindness, standing up to the principal and other teachers on Ruby's behalf. U.S. Marshals protect Ruby with care and dedication. A psychiatrist, moved by Ruby's fortitude in face of protestors -- as well as the potential of doing "important" work in his career -- offers to counsel her free of charge, while his wife encourages him to treat Ruby's family as people, not patients.

Diverse Representations

a lot

The movie explores a key moment in U.S. history in the fight for racial equality and brings attention to an important Black figure. Ruby is strong and determined but also given nuance and shown to have moments of fear and confusion. A scene in a bar involves White and Black characters discussing race with warmth, intelligence, and openness. Female characters are portrayed as strong, though still with some element of traditional gender roles (as was more typical for the time period). Ruby's father takes a commanding tone toward her mother on occasion but also shows great vulnerability, crying and being comforted by her, which counters male, and particularly Black male, stereotypes. Some elements do lean a little into the "White savior" cliche, with Mrs. Henry delivering a grandstanding diatribe about ignorance and hate toward the end of the movie. A Jewish shop owner shows kindness but also bends to White pressure not to allow the Bridges into her shop, though there's a sense of understanding based on shared experiences of bigotry. Many Black neighbors show support for Ruby's family, but there's also some resentment, leading to a few local people breaking ties.

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Violence & Scariness

some

Ruby has to be escorted to school and protected by armed U.S. Marshals. Protestors outside school, who carry signs like "Whites only" and "No coloreds here," spit on Ruby and shout threats like "I'm gonna hang you 'til you choke to death" and "I'm gonna poison you." One protestor holds up a small coffin with a doll in it. Another throws a tomato at a wall, scaring Ruby. Ruby reenacts some of these threats, including appearing to choke her own doll with a ribbon. Enslavement is explained by a teacher in very basic terms.

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Sex, Romance & Nudity

none

Ruby's parents show affection with hugs and kisses, placing hands on each other's hips and shoulders.

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Language

some

Racial taunts include "jigaboo," "pickaninny," "cracker," and "Black trash"; terms such as “colored” and “negro” are also used frequently. "KKK" and the "N" word are scrawled on a column outside the school. Protestors chant "2, 4, 6, 8, we don't want to integrate." One child tells another she's going to "whip her butt" in a game.

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