Pay It Forward Reviews

• FIVE HANKY TEARJERKER...

  
  By A1L43KWWR05PCS on 2001-07-02
  I found this movie to be a compelling and moving cinematic experience, with outstanding, well nuanced performances by Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment, and James Caviezel. It is a bona fide tearjerker. Those who enjoy that genre of film should love this one.

  The movie opens up with a hostage scene being played out in a residential neighborhood, with cops everywhere. A reporter arrives on the scene only to have the cops try and give him the bum's rush. While the cops are distracted by the reporter, the perpetrator leaves the scene in a sports utitlty vehicle, but not before crashing into and totalling the reporter's car. A mysterious stranger materializes and hands the reporter the keys to a new jaguar, saying that he is giving it to him, no strings attached, since he seems to have run into a little car trouble.

  The movie then cuts to a scene four months earlier. The viewer is taken to a seventh grade class room where, in a wonderful scene, student, Trevor McKinney, played by Haley Joel Osment, takes his teacher's assignment of doing something that could potentially change the world to heart. His teacher, an intelligent and controlled man, played by Kevin Spacey, whose burn scarred face masks the scars on his heart, gives out this assignment cavalierly, not really expecting that any of his students will come up with something of real note.

  It turns out that Trevor, intelligent and introspective, comes up with an idea whereby he performs a potentially life changing good deed for each of three people. They in turn each do the same for three people. He calls his idea "pay it forward". It is your basic pyramid scheme with a twist. Some of the things he does will tug at your heart strings. Some of them will tickle your funny bone. One thing is for sure, unless you are made of stone, you will be moved.

  Meanwhile Trevor's stressed out mom, played by Helen Hunt, is a single parent, holding down two jobs. An alcoholic in the throes of a recovery, she does the best that she can. Split from Trevor's dad, himself an alcoholic who used to batter her, she is struggling to keep on even keel. When Trevor's execution of his teacher's assignment results in what appears to be a potentially life threatening situation, it causes his mom to hit the roof and go to the school, where she confronts the baffled teacher.

  Ultimately, Trevor's mom and his teacher are brought together, through the contrivance of Trevor. What initially seemed impossible, becomes a reality, and a relationship blossoms. It turns out that they have more in common than was initially thought. Meanwhile, Trevor's plan is catching on, and a number of wonderful scenes in the film illustrate this.

  What happens in this film will, at times, thrill and delight you. At other times, what happens will surely move you to tears. Some may call the movie manipulative and schmaltzy. It is simply just an old fashioned tearjerker.
  
  

• you deserve better than this

  
  By A1ITUK7EZEC9NB on 2003-12-13
  a great idea, followed up by terrific performances is destroyed by the filmmakers. I personally like to blame the director, Mimi Leder. The ending totally panders to the audience, willing you to cry, to feel sorry for the characters. It lacks all thought and willingness to take hold of a world changing idea-- the centerpiece of this movie-- to try and show that world can be a better place than it is.

  To top it off, the final shot is STOLEN from "Field of Dreams," a film with beauty, honesty and hope-- a long line of headlights, plus people holding candles (CANDLES, oh how hopeful!) as a tribute to what they hoped this movie could be, but utterly failed to be.

  Avoid it at all costs. "Pay it Forward" is a hoax.
  
  

• I really wanted to like it more

  
  By A26TSW6AI59ZCV on 2004-09-04
  Kevin Spacey is a new social studies teacher who gives his seventh-grade class the project of coming up with an idea that might change the world, and trying to implement it. Student Haley Joel Osment takes it to heart, and proposes the "pay it forward" idea, wherein everyone helps three people, and asks those who are helped to each help three others. Osment's mother, Helen Hunt, is a recovering alcoholic, and Osment decides it would be a good deed to match her up with his much-admired teacher.
  
  
  That is the premise of a great movie. The real result was a pretty good movie that meandered, seemed implausible at times, mastered the art of self-entanglement, and shined with derivativeness. Too many subplots, too many street people talking wise philosophy, and way, way too many similarities to other films, as in DEAD POET SOCIETY (Spacey-Osment relationship), MASK (son trying to reform wayward mother, good-hearted but incompetent mother), THE MAN WITHOUT A FACE (Spacey-Osment relationship again, son trying to straighten out wayward mother again, good-hearted but inept mother again), AS GOOD AS IT GETS (flawed but good woman falls in love with flawed but good man). Of course, these themes are seen in many films, but the similarities seem more than conceptual or thematic. The Spacey-Hunt relationship is extremely reminiscent of the Nicholson-Hunt relationship in AS GOOD AS IT GETS.
  
  
  So, why did I give the film three stars? Despite all of my gripes, I also feel that Spacey, Osment, and Hunt did their jobs very well. And, when the film periodically meandered back to the "pay it forward" concept, it was very good.
  
  

• I expected schlock, sugar and smaltz, not so! I LOVED IT!

  
  By A1ER5AYS3FQ9O3 on 2001-05-24
  What a pleasant surprise this movie was! I avoided seeing it for awhile because of so many negative or so-so reviews I'd read and also because a friend told me the book was "sentimental and corny". But the movie was very believable and I can't help thinking that the only people who could fail to be moved by it would have to be hard-core cynics. Haley Joel Osmont proves his acting chops yet again (after his acclaimed his role in Sixth Sense), playing a middle-school student named Trevor who has a troubled home life, an alcoholic mother and an erratic, wayward father. When his new teacher, played by the superb Kevin Spacey, gives an imaginative class assignment, daring the students to "change the world" Trevor takes his homework to a new extreme, changing not only his life but that of his teacher. While parts of this movie do challenge the viewer's ability to suspend belief and seem somewhat unreal, it is a rare treat to see such a trio of talented actors come together for such a worthy idea. Don't be surprised to find yourself reaching for the tissues while watching this movie. I came to it with negative preconceptions and reluctance and was surprisingly moved and heartened by watching it. This is one I plan to buy and add to my permanent collection, worth seeing again and again.
  
  

• We Have a Winner!!

  
  By A1YXFDPLH6XLIL on 2004-08-25
  The category is "Most Manipulative Movie Ever," and the film is . . .
  
  "Pay It Forward." WHOOO HOOOOOO!! Let's give a hand, folks!
  
  You know the plot or you wouldn't be reading, so I'll dispense with the rehash. The wife and I watched the last hour or so on one of the networks the other night, and that was one of the only times I've wanted to hurl things at my own TV. I might be cyincal, but some "message" movies still get to me ("Good Will Hunting," "Dead Poets Society," for ex). This one was actually a predictable but well-acted melodrama with good intentions until the end, but it's last scenes were so dishonest and cheap, I just got angrier and angrier. ROOAARRGGGHHH!! MUST . . DESTROY . . BRAINDEAD SCREENWRITER . .
  
  I doubt that's what Mimi was shooting for, but then again I'm not the target audience. My dad would dig this, oh boy would he dig this. Slap the "family" label on it and cue up the sappy music at the end, and he's Niagara Falls. All I could think about as the credits rolled was how it would have been no less exploitative if Kevin Spacy had gone all Keyser Soze/John Doe and slaughtered everyone. Now THAT would've been a plot twist.
  
  You could also see the Mimi's thought process lurching along the entire way:
  
  "OK, we've got our well-meaning kid and his well-meaning mom and his well-meaning teacher, all scarred by life. We've got them almost getting together several times but due to misunderstandings and aforementioned life-scars, they don't. We've got the dark secret revealed about one character. Whew, glad that's off his chest. Then, YEAHH, they finally do get together. But wait . . we haven't had any crying by the audience yet . . Hmmmm . . A-HA! We'll just kill the kid! Let's see, a disease takes too long, I'm saving the terrorist attack for my next movie . . A-HA! Another kid -- make him ethnic for added effect -- stabs him and he dies! But can't leave the audience feeling sad . . A-HA! A crowd brings candles and flowers to the grieving mom's house and everyone realizes that it was worth him being skewered, and it brings all this extra . . what's that word? Oh yeah, "poignancy" to the message! EUREKA!! GET MY ASSISTANT ON THE PHONE TO START DRAFTING MY OSCAR ACCEPTANCE SPEECH!!"
  
  Now I'm all riled up. Thanks a lot. And Trevor's still dead.
  
  
  
  
• Movie Of The Year, Simply As Good As It Gets
  By A1J2931UBBJPXM on 2000-10-30
  Is it possible that altruism can exist in the world today? Can anyone really perform an altruistic act for another? Would anyone anywhere even be willing to consider such a thing, let alone actually try it? And what would happen if they did? It's the stuff of which great philosophies are made, and in this case, the stuff of great cinema. In "Pay It Forward," directed by Mimi Leder and adapted from the novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde, the subject of altruism and it's possible effects is addressed through one of the most thought provoking, emotionally charged dramas of the year (or of any year, for that matter). It begins when a Las Vegas seventh grade Social Studies teacher, Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey), gives his class an assignment: Come up with an idea that could ultimately change the world. And implement it. It's a thoughtful exercise, used by an insightful teacher in an effort to get his students to think, to explore the possibilities of the mind, wherein, he tells them, anything is possible. And after many years of teaching, Simonet finally encounters a student, Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment), who actually comes up with a unique idea: Do something for someone else, something "hard." But don't ask them to pay it back; instead, have them "pay it forward." And do it for three people. Then those three do it for three others, and on and on. Simply put: What a concept. But can it work? Trevor thinks it can, and despite a number of personal obstacles he must overcome, he embarks upon his altruistic quest. This is a terrific, heart-wrenching story, written for the screen by Leslie Dixon (look for an Oscar nomination) and delivered to perfection by director Leder and a cast that is as good as it gets. Kevin Spacey turns in yet another astounding performance that may very well win him another Oscar. What an amazing actor; he brings Simonet to life with nuance and depth that most other actors can only dream of coming close to. The way he speaks and carries himself, his attention to detail; it all comes together to make Simonet a character you will not soon forget. And, as good as Spacey is, Helen Hunt (Arlene McKinney) proves his equal in a dynamic performance that could garner her another Oscar as well. Her portrayal of Trevor's alcoholic mother, a single mom with two jobs trying to keep her world together, is a soul-stirring, emotional triumph. She gives it everything and more; the vulnerability, the desperation, the pain. And the love. It's all there, and she makes you feel every bit of it with her. As Trevor, Osment does more than hold his own with Spacey and Hunt, turning in a special performance that makes Trevor a truly special, memorable character. There may just be another Oscar nomination in this for him, also. How exceptional it is to have three performances of this caliber in a single movie; what a tribute to the abilities of these three exceptional actors. The supporting cast includes Jay Mohr (Chris Chandler), James Caviezel (Jerry), Angie Dickinson (Grace), and Jon Bon Jovi (Ricky). There should be an Oscar nomination awaiting Mimi Leder, as well, because what she has done with "Pay It Forward," must not go unheralded. Certainly, she had a brilliant cast with which to work, but much of the credit for the emotional levels attained in this film must surely go to her. This film is not merely great, it is truly inspirational, with an ending that will leave your soul in tatters. I can't remember the last time the audience burst into spontaneous applause at the end of a movie, which is what happened when I saw this film. This is one gut-wrenching, emotional ride you absolutely must not miss.
  
  
• Awful, manipulative film with a cheat ending.
  By AR37967IAR6ZT on 2003-02-06
  Those who fall for the trick that "Pay it Forward" pulls at its end - where it shows that if you're nice to someone, it sometimes doesn't make the world a better place - aren't to be blamed for their crying. This film is false, manipulative garbage, and the group of genuinely talented people who made it should be ashamed of themselves.

  Haley Joel Osment, who plays all his roles so seriously that it's almost impossible to imagine what he'd be like alongside regular 11-year-olds when he's not "perfecting his craft," stars here as Trevor, a warm-hearted little boy who tries to make the world a better place. Sob. He takes in a homeless man, only to see the homeless man go back on drugs. Sniffle-sniffle. His bleach-blonde, alcoholic mom Helen Hunt is hiding bottles of liquor around the house. (Hunt, by the way, played more convincing drug addicts in her Afterschool Specials. At one point, she takes a swig and acts all drunk before she even has time to swallow.) Boohoo. His dad, Jon Bon Jovi, has left him. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. And his teacher, Kevin Spacey, has a horribly burned face and is cynical. OK, hand me a tissue.

  Spacey and Hunt, two Oscar winners, do no such caliber work here, where Mimi Leder's leaden direction or the just-plain-awful script don't help them out much. The framework story of the narrative, involving Jay Mohr, interrupts and confuses the story. Angie Dickinson crawls herself out of the grave to play Helen Hunt's mother in a creepy cameo.

  Someone above described the movie as "warm-hearted." I ask you, "What is so warmhearted about that suckerpunch of an ending? What does that ending say about the message of the film?"

  At the end of this drivel, I didn't want to pay anyone forward. I wanted someone to pay me my money back.
  
  

• 3rd-rate imitation of a good movie --- don't be fooled!
  By A2FS38D943KX12 on 2005-06-11
  A lot of people found this to be a very inspiring & emotionally moving film. Surprise surprise, that is exactly what the studio's marketing plan was hoping you would think. Their marketing strategy seems to have paid off quite nicely.
  
  Do not mistake cloying, manipulative drivel for compelling story-telling. Do not mistake maudlin sentimentality for emotional depth. Do not mistake the emotional sucker-punch (to borrow from another reviewer) of an ending for irony. Remember these things and you will find this to be one of the more contrived, manipulative pieces of tripe to blight the big screen in a number of years. It's not the worst, because one can always point to "Patch Adams," but it is still pretty damned irritating.
  
  
• Terrible
  By A10KK7UQ7M469D on 2001-06-11
  This movie was ok, not great, but ok (maybe 3 stars), until the end. The end was terrible. First what happens to the main character. Then the whole stupid part with the candles--is she supposed to feel all better now because people are standing outside her house with candles? I don't think so. I know people in the theatre with me thought it was really poignant, but I thought they just tacked on a depressing ending to make it seem more weighty.

  If you don't like sappy, maudlin movies, definitely pass on this one.
  
  

• 2 Oscar winners + 1 Oscar nominee = A bust of a film
  By A2F7KIN0SL00I6 on 2003-12-04
  It's hard to know what to say about a movie like this. First thing I'd like to say is that the two Oscar winners in the movie, in my opinion, are the weakest parts of this movie. Kevin Spacey is a wonderful actor, but his melodrama in this movie is nauseating, and Helen Hunt does not pull off the "drunken mother" role at all. I felt the strongest parts of this movie were Jim Caviezel's homeless man and the story of Jay Mohr trying to find out where this all started.

  I've heard countless people say the following:
  a. It has a good message.
  b. The ending is so sad.
  c. I wish this could really happen.

  Here are my answers to these:

  a. The message is good, but if all you're looking for is a message, pick up a bible.
  b. The ending isn't that sad. The movie itself was so cliched, you can almost expect the ending.
  c. If you want this to really happen, stop wishing it and go out and do a good deed.

  That's my 2 cents worth. Don't waste your time with this movie. The great actors that are in it have all done better stuff. Save yourself the aggrevation and go rent "As Good as it Gets", "The Usual Suspects", "The Sixth Sense", and "American Beauty". You'll be much more entertained.
  
  

• Good movie destroyed by its ending
  By A1YJM7G6RCQDH2 on 2003-11-30
  I really like Spacey and Osment, like Hunt fairly well, and the premise seemed intriguing, so I was looking forward to this movie. Even though it was a bit schmaltzy at times and I was less than thrilled by the implication that helping a thief elude police is doing him a favor, I still very much enjoyed the movie, and wondered why it did not do better in the box office. Jay "king of the jerk character" Mohr's character even got sympathetic near the end.

  Then the last 5 minutes of the movie was committed.

  The writers were probably going for poignant, probing, thought-provoking, and ironic. What they "achieved" was pedestrian, ordinary, over-the-top, and exceedingly sappy. I understand that this movie is based on a novel, so in a sense, I guess it's the author's "fault". But there have been many movies-based-on-books in which major plot points were changed to make the movie more marketable. This should have been one of them.

  One of the characters describes the world as a "s***hole" -- if you believe this movie from start to finish, it really is.
  
  

• Solid morality play
  By A1VHK9A4VLJTHC on 2005-11-29
  My daughter has raved about this for some time, I finally got around to watching it over this last holiday weekend. It's definately worth seeing, a good solid story, a bit sad, but well acted and the kind of movie that makes you think a bit.
  
  I don't think it's something younger children would really get into, there are a bit of adult themes running through this, however older kids will be able to get the brain juices flowing and that's a good thing.
  
  It's hard to go into the flick without giving something away, so I'll just say it's a bit of a Christology and worth seeing, there is some grown up drama shown, but it's a redemptive movie, inspite of the sad parts.
  
  
• An emotional, beautiful movie.
  By A3HG1I67PYAENP on 2000-11-03
  I've seen the movie 3 times now; It wasn't my intention, but it was worth every viewing. I was extrememly impressed by all three of the major players, Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and of course Haley Joel Osment. The end was a shock and really moved me emotionally like no other I've seen in a long while. Haley's performance could only be topped by his role in the Sixth Sense; a very talented young actor who knows how to reach into the character he plays and literally make you believe the pain, the sorrow, all the emotions his character must be feeling. His acting is like no other...he should have won the Oscar for Sixth Sense.

  Although I've not cared much for Helen Hunts role in the tv series Mad About You...I was pleasantly surprised by her acting in this movie. She's an excellent actress in every respect and I believe she shows up on this one better then past works.

  Kevin Spacey was excellent as well, although I've seen better from him....The Usual Suspects.

  Over all, the movie is one you can't miss. Bring some tissues. You will definitly cry, but you'll laugh and 'aw' and...you'll love the movie and just won't forget it. Waiting patiently for Amazon to release it to the shelf on DVD...
  
  

• Two hours of your life you will regret not having back
  By AXZX0Q15WGCWF on 2001-06-19
  If you are the type of movie goer that enjoys films with an unpredictable plot and a script free of sanctimonius garbage do not i repeat DO NOT watch his film.

  This may be the most manipulative piece of cinematic [stuff] ever to grace the screen. About 10 minutes into the film it will be clear that nothing is without a set up and no emotion comes without beating the viewer over the head with a ton of bricks. This is a film where one, two, even four major problems is not enough for a character...they must have more, enough to make you feel complete [regret] for ever living a happy exsistance.

  I don't understand why this film had the talented cast it did. I don't know how they delievered their lines without wanting to strangle the writer of this pure sanctimonius garbage. And to top it all off, the ending is so cruel, so over the top, so downright uneccesary and offensive it required all of my might not to toss the remote at the TV in disgust.

  If you appreciate fine film, stay far, far away.
  
  

• Are You Going To Pay It Forward?
  By A3AL8GQ69QE7WN on 2001-06-03
  You know, when it comes to art I don't really mind critics and criticism. This film was criticized as being sentimental, predictable and even emotionally manipulative. Fine. If that's all you get from watching this film that's your personal experience. I happened to like the theme of "paying it forward". The message, simple, direct, yet, difficult for most people to accept. What would this world be like if we all really did pay it forward? Would it be better? How would we know unless we tried it? Resistance to change is a part of human nature and is showcased fairly well in Helen Hunt's and Kevin Spacey's characters. Yet, it is possible, as Kevin Spacey's character suggests to his class. I am familiar with characters portrayed in this film, I am a counselor. I see the effects emotional and physical abuse has on children and adults everyday I go to work. It's not as easy as the film suggests to just change and pay it forward. Most of us would not help a stranger, let alone our own family members. Maybe the idea of paying it forward is too idealistic or lofty, but it sure felt good to see something refreshing, something with a heart or charitableness. I like all kinds of stories. I think I'm pretty cynical and jaded, yet I guess I'm ideal at the heart, even if it doesn't work out like it should. I think most of the complaining about this film was in its execution more than what it was about. True enough, so four stars instead of five, who cares? It's entertaining and its heart is in the right place, and the acting by Hunt and Spacey and Osment is above average. Rent it, and pay it forward.
  
  
• Writer in need of serious professional help
  By A2FT0G4EPRDCSY on 2001-10-10
  Okay - so you have this great premise of making a movie where people do good deeds. And its billed as this great movie where people help each other and "pay it forward" (as opposed to pay it back) by helping someone else. The movie is really not about this fantastic concept. Instead, what it turns out to be is a docu-drama about how everyone in the world (or at least, everyone in this movie) is either a drunk, the abused victim of a drunk, or both. You see torture, neglect, denial, and everything else that you thought this movie wasn't. The pay-it-forward aspect is a sub-plot, and is really lost amongst all the depressing "life" going on. A complete WOMBAT (Waste Of Money, Brains, And Time).
  
  
• Put It Back!
  By AKCCXEWXJ0VIW on 2001-11-13
  An interesting premise goes south quickly in this stinker. I like Spacey and Osment, but I feel that Helen Hunt is way overrated. Every cliche in the book is trotted out here and the predictable heartstring-tugging is unbearable. I didn't cry, sniffle, or feel otherwise emotionally moved by this film, other than to switch it off at the end feeling cheated. Do yourself a favor and watch "Life is Beautiful" instead.
  
  
• Okay, but....
  By A2WZGOX0PU11CB on 2003-12-02
  This was supposed to be an inspiring film about doing something good for other people (and telling them to do the same to others and so forth). It DOES start out promising enough, but it is too disjointed, too meandering and some confusing scenes (such as a drunk woman helping a brazen thief to flee from the cops...huh?! That's doing a good deed?) And what's more (spoilers warned!) the character Trevor (who came up with idea for "Paying It Forward" program) was killed at the end defending his friend from the bullies. How is it encouraging the viewers to step out and do the compassionate deed for others at risk of their lives? :/

  I'm sorry but I don't think it is really a very good movie, even with best performances that actors such as Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment gave.
  
  

• heart warming story
  By A121WJCKYJ4T03 on 2004-04-05
  The chance that I watch this DVD was the purpose that extent the skill of my English listening. Because I heard that it was good for listening up to watch boys and girls movie.

  But when I watched this DVD, the thinking that I had first changed, that is to say, I enjoyed the story honestly.
  The movie is not used ellegant technique and superior computer graphics, but the story was very heartwarming. I always have self conciouseness, and I tend to think that it is important for me to move things in myself main. And the more I grow older, the more I have not the feeling that I help other persons.
  But what devote myself to other men is important thing and if I am in the condition that can help other people, on the other hands, will mean what keep good condition of my mind, that is, even if I feel down, by helping other persons, the mind of myself may feel up too.

  And the teacher of the main character of this movie have many knowledge and inteligent and perfect man in my first feeling, but he was troubled with the scars of his body. But by confessing the scars to a woman, he get over the trouble.
  After all,the only way that can cure the scars of the mind will be by man, I think, can not cure by oneself.
  To tell the truth, I have the scars of my body, I have been troubled for long years. But when I watched this movie, in the truth that have the same trouble even if that is fiction-story, I took the bravery, and some day I believe that I will be able to get over too.

  After a long time, I met wonderful and heartwarming film.

  Thank you for reading poor English.
  
  

• MOVING, BUT WITH SOME IMPERFECTIONS
  By AEKVNXC6R8O9G on 2001-01-28
  You already know the plot, so I'll get down to brass tacks. Kevin Spacey gives a great performance. Unlike most of his roles, which have an ironic or sarcastic edge, he plays it straight and honest here. Only an actor this comfortable with his talents can give such an understated and subtle performance with no need to hog the screen with over the top pyrotechnics.

  Helen Hunt is good too, but we've mostly seen this performance already in As Good as it Gets -- you know, the spunky single mother romantic lead. But this is a grittier role -- she plays a more imperfect and less likeable person.

  Osment also is excellent. His talent hits you over the head when he has to pretend to be awkward before the television camera. This kid is so polished that he even can act convincingly unpolished.

  There are powerful, emotional moments in this film that center around the three lead characters. I found the second storyline about the reporter chasing down the story about paying it forward to be distracting. This second storyline leads to the canned and phony ending. What a shame!

  Kudos to the makeup artists. Kevin Spacey looks convincing as a burn victim, and in some remarkable scenes the film manages to make the normally beautiful Helen Hunt look like a very tired working woman whose face would scare Frankenstein. I heard the audience gasp!

  In passing, the real theme of this movie is not about doing good unto others for altruistic reasons -- it is about having the courage to save oneself by helping others. The boy helps his mother and teacher, who in turn can save him from his father. Eugene (Kevin Spacey) forgives the mother, who then can reenter his life to make him happy. The drug addict cures himself (we are to suppose) by saving the woman who wants to commit suicide. Why is it so hard to do the right thing? Because it requires revealing what we most fear revealing. With the mother, the secret shame is her alcoholism. With Eugene, it is the burns on his body. The outward motion of the "paying it forward" is balanced by the inward motion of accepting and revealing the scarred surfaces of the soul.
  
  

• Pay IT Forward?.Yes.Just don't FAST FORWARD. Ending BLOWS!
  By A1SPTDV2COGWO5 on 2001-07-23
  Yaaargggh! ... Sure the film's contrived and suspenseless.Sure we know we're getting manipulated.We all know what the premise is going in. We just want to see if the studio can execute the thing with some style and wit . And they almost make it, kinda. But the ending blows. And while I'm at it, can I say that if I see just ONE MORE shot of a moistened Haley Jo Osmond and his tearful eyes I'm going to york! Ok so the ending and that little stinker both bring the movie down. It could been a contenduh! If it weren't for the decent, warming premise and the apprearence of Jon" On A Steel Horse I Ride" Bon Jovi I would have torn this tape from my player and hurled it at the cats that hang out behind my apartment's dumpster. Not to hurt the cats, but maybe they could put it to better use, such as KITTY LITTER!
  
  
• Pay It Back !
  By A1MDXDMZDVJMTF on 2001-11-07
  Me and My freinds were looking for a decent film to watch after
  Dinner and a walk. So we rented Pay it Foward.
  UUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGHH! The pain was unbeleivable.
  I had great misfortune wachting this terrible movie. It was confusing before and the end is unbelivably sloppy. Spend your time with better movies like "Princess Diaries"and"Mission:Impossible"
  
  
• Happiest Movie Ever.....NOT!!!
  By AB82TJ90A0O6Z on 2004-04-12
  How much happier can this movie get? Was there a split second in this movie where no one was emotionally or physically hurt? If there was, I'm sorry, but I missed it.
  Between the father of the teacher setting fire to him, Trevor, the main character getting stabbed to his death, and the mother being a stripper, I failed to see any level of depth throughout the movie. If you cry easily, beware of this movie, you'll fall into a coma triggered by an emotional breakdown. I'm not kidding.
  The cover lies, I tell you. You see the smiles? I wouldn't be smiling if my mom was a stripper, or my son just got stabbed to death, or my father poured kerosine on me and set me on fire. Tell me if I'm wrong. Please.
  
  
• Pay It Forward Is Worth Your Money ...And Time
  By A2ATWKOFJXRRR1 on 2005-12-04
  Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) is in his first day as a Las Vegas middle-schooler (7th grade) and his class is introduced to their new social studies teacher, Mr. Simonet (Kevin Spacey). And it's quite a stunning introduction, because Mr. Simonet has visible scars that run up his neck and onto his face. Are they burn scars?
  
  Mr. Simonet engages his class from day one by giving them an extra credit assignment that the students can do throughout the entire school year: think of a way to change the world and put it into practice. Most of the students see this as just teacher hype, but Trevor takes it literally and starts putting an idea into play; he decides to do three incredibly nice but difficult things to three separate people (strangers) and then ask them not to pay him back, but to "Pay It Forward." His first is to bring home a homeless man where his mother, Arlene McKinney (Helen Hunt) finds him and pretty much freaks out.
  
  The second thing Trevor does is to try and get his teacher, Mr. Simonet, into a relationship with Arlene, Trevor's mother. And as this unfolds we begin to see more of this screwed up microcosm of souls. Trevor's mom works two jobs (one waiting tables at a strip club and the other as a change girl in a casino), is battling alcoholism, and is trying not to turn Trevor into a latchkey kid.
  
  Mr. Simonet begins to fall in love with Arlene but holds back for reasons unknown. Do those scars go deeper than the surface?
  
  Trevor's third "Pay It Forward" attempt is to help prevent a fellow student from being beat up by the school bullies all the time. And this event will play a pivotal and surprising role in the end of the film.
  
  Can a kid really teach everyone to "Pay It Forward"?
  
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  There's an unforseen quality to this film that leaks out to the audience. After watching it with some friends, there were many differing takes on it:
  
  "It's schmaltzy trash," one said.
  "At least it's trying to get a valid message across without going into triteness," another commented.
  "It's got too many religious overtones," someone else piped in.
  "It had a lot of downers," said someone else.
  "Really? I thought it was quite uplifting," said another.
  
  As you can see from this cross section of comments, there's a lot going on in the film and I think this speaks pretty highly of how the message of the film (i.e., helping out strangers without any expectations of remuneration) was given to the viewer. This definitely is NOT a feel-good film. There's cursing and mild nudity and drug use and alcoholism and child abuse and even (gulp!) murder. But through these not-so-appealing items the film garners much of its strength.
  
  
  And it's a message that really needs to be gotten across to humanity (especially around this time of the year ...which is to say, everyday).
  
  
• Best Film of the Year
  By on 2000-10-15
  Pay It Forward was the best film of the year. Although it is quite a depressing movie, it is handled very well by director Mimi Leder, and balanced with humor. The acting by Osment, Spacey and Hunt was great. Watch the movie very carefully-there is a lot of symbolism in maybe 50% of the scenes. Watch for: The name of the apartment center Spacey lives in, the lyrics to the Papa Roach song Osment listens to, and the scenes in which Spacey irons his shirt.
  
  
• A touching picture...
  By A9HV8B8GUD6AJ on 2000-10-31
  For reasons unbeknownst to me, it would seem that this film has become fashionable to 'almost' like. The numerous accusations that 'Pay it Forward' is "manipulative" are mind boggling. When a film broadsides you with reality, fair or not, why do people shun it?

  Critics and audiences do seem to agree, however, that the performances are stunning. Spacey and Hunt do their standard stellar performances. Osment rises to the occasion and is easily the best child performer in Hollywood (if not for his amazing talent, but for the simple fact that he is not irritating - like most/all child actors in recent memory).

  The story seems to be being well received too - revolving more around the romance between Spacey and Hunt than the actual "pay it forward" philosophy (which takes place as an almost subplot). Their love story is truly touching and I was completely infatuated with their lives through out the course of the film. The issue that most critics and audience members are taking with the film is its surprise (well, I thought it was a surprise) downbeat ending. Is it unfair? You bet, and in more than one way - but at the same time I can't go so far as to say I believe it to be inappropriate, if only because it is in *no way* unrealistic. I will concede that a happier ending would have worked better, but I do not believe the tear-jerker angle negated the integrity of the rest of the picture. The final, deeply touching, moments of the film had this seventeen year old male in tears, which means it established an emotional bond with me - and that is more than enough for me to recommend viewing it.
  
  

• The Forgotten Reality
  By A2EX31GJA37CCG on 2000-11-01
  This film is extraordinary. It makes us more conscious and aware of what happens to people who lose hope, and how someone has to be responsible to watch and protect them. This is what we do with cars, flowers etc. The acting was outstanding and highly believable. It is true that poor people may not speak the sophisticated language, but they could understand and relate to the emotional intelligence here expressed. They deserve the Academy Award for best picture, best actors: Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Mimi Leder.
  
  
• A movie that makes you ride a rollercoaster of feelings
  By A14PB4JA6LW7G0 on 2000-11-26
  I sat down to watch this movie not knowing quite what to expect. I didn't know if I would be in for laughing, crying, heartbreak, or drama...and after watching the movie I realized that I had experienced all these feelings and emotions. This is a great movie, it really reaches inside of you and touches your heart. It is funny and warm in parts and then incredibly sad and moving in others. The acting in the movie was some of the best I have seen in a long time. Every actor/actress in the movie came through and delivered stellar performances.

  I found this movie to be very refreshing. It didn't rely on special effects or unrealistic story lines like so many of todays big ticket movies do. Pay it Forward is an immensely honest film that draws you into the story line the minute that it begins. I recommend it especially to parents, teachers, and students. However, some of the movies subject content may not be appropriate for younger viewers. This film was wonderful. The only reason why I did not give it a perfect 5 stars is because the ending seemed a little short and curt. For me the film was at a point where I was immensely involved with the story line and then it seemed to just completely switch directions and end--however this switch was a reason why the movie was so good. I recommend you check this film out.
  
  

• Sappy Load of BS
  By A10Y596I3SL84S on 2000-12-14
  I realized long ago that I wasn't in the target audience for this movie but due to the poor offerings of this fall season I found myself in the audience anyway. Here's the problem with Pay it Foward: It diminishes the premise of it's character throughout, seemingly just to avoid being called trite and simplistic and finally diminishes the concept entirely in the end with a melodramatic turn that tries to club the audience over the head and say "Look at how awful the world is!" Meanwhile, the idea has a profound effect on all us "little people" who begin to see our possibilities for happiness. The emotional world that the characters live in (where the know it all little boy insults his mother until she slaps him and then immediately runs for relief inside a bottle) ia insulting to every lower middle class American whose lives are able to find hope and stability with the mishappen philosophising of busy body little urchins. The main problem with this movie is the ending though which isn't a surprise or sad or anything except for illogical... I won't give it away but if you pay close attention, you will see the desperate attempts at emotional manipulation that drive this deflated drama to its conclusion.
  
  
• Surprisingly moving.
  By A2GB5CG77LGQRB on 2001-03-18
  Pay It Forward

  Score: 74/100

  Oh how this film surprised me. I thought it would be corny, clunky trash (which it is very briefly in a couple of scenes) but it was mostly a very good cinematic experience, not quite a masterpiece that the cast might of come up with, but Pay It Forward is still a perfectly watchable drama.

  Young Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment), troubled by his mother's (Helen Hunt) alcoholism and fears of his abusive but absent father, is caught up by an intriguing assignment from his new social studies teacher, Mr. Simonet (Kevin Spacey). The assignment: think of something to change the world and put it into action. Trevor conjures the notion of paying a favour not back, but forward--repaying good deeds not with payback, but with new good deeds done to three new people. Trevor's efforts to make good on his idea bring a revolution not only in the lives of himself, his mother and his physically and emotionally scarred teacher, but in those of an ever-widening circle of people completely unknown to him.

  The film starts awkwardly, but in the middle, it becomes absorbing and intriguing as Trevor's idea thrusts itself through the plot, and in the end, your left reaching for a million hankies at the same time. An all-star cast deliver stunning performances, Spacey's turn as the loveable but burned teacher is stunning, his performance burns in memory, just as his character's scars burn on his face. Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment are both perfectly cast as two troubled family members going through a rough patch, and I really liked the way the script started with the present, went back to the past and then strang itself together nicely. Also, the music, which I could never forget, done by Thomas Newman (American Beauty) is stunning, and earns Pay It Forward points and puts it as one of the front-runner's for top music of the year.

  The mournful look on Osment's face sometimes tires, and about 15 minutes could've been cut off the running time, but none-the-less, this is still a brutal, honest, real and emotionally moving piece of film, well worth your time.
  
  

• Simon Birch
• I am Sam (New Line Platinum Series)
• Finding Forrester
• Mr. Holland's Opus
• Pay It Forward