Pay It Forward

Nice movie, I cried helplessly

Pay It Forward_360P

This was not a bad film; in fact, it was fairly well done, for what it was. Unfortunately, what it was was emotionally manipulative. Child abuse survivors, cute kids, recovering alcoholic mom working two jobs, this movie had it all. Above all, the director's vision was muddled. "Life is sh*t," says Trevor (Osment); by the end of the film, we can see that life is not sh*t after all. Or is it? The dramatic twist at the end (I won't spoil it for you) seemed to revoke the entire message of the movie. It had no apparent purpose, other than to lead up to the buy-the-world-a-coke, faux-heartwarming finale. The movie was not a total wash, however, as the genuinely solid performances from everyone involved lifted it above the sappy little mess it could have been. Osment is a gifted actor who manages to be a scared, vulnerable kid, without resorting to overt cuteness; he has a wary toughness which makes his performances very believable. Although I am admittedly ambiguous about Helen Hunt, she did turn in a very strong, thoughtful performance in a role that could easily have been one-sided or overplayed. Final analyss: If you like sentimentality, "Pay it Forward" is worth the effort, but it falls far short of a classic.

Terrible. The whole movie is completely predictable and Helen Hunt just does not fit on that role, especially after making What Women Want. The whole movie is just a bunch of sentimental nonsense which makes you want to throw up. Very slow and corny, and I also think it contradicts itself at the end. The ending doesn't fit within the story. It is way too in the extreme, which makes the corny, sentimental and ridiculous movie, even more stupid. I personally thought that Haley Joel Osment was a terrific actor, till I saw him in this movie. His character has nothing different from the one in Sixth Sense. He portrays a lonely, conflicted child who lives with his mother, who by the way is single and suffering (what a surprise), and guess what, she's also an alcoholic. (Not much of Helen Hunt). Osment also plays the role of the insignificant little boy who saves the world with his "Pay it forward" idea. Very ridiculous. And you´ll see him again, crying, begging for help, being Mr. Wise guy and showing all his dramatizing techniques. No wonder he was not chosen to play Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace, he cannot play roles that do not involve crying and exaggerating. Do not waste your 8 bucks. Watch something else. This is definitely not a recommendable movie. Worst pick of the year for me.

Previous comments seem to focus on *the stars*, which is just the problem with this debris! It was a sweet idealistic book that became a star vehicle on screen, spayed of all social value. The book-teacher, Reuben St. Clair, is black; but you still can't have a black man kissing and marrying a white woman. And that's just the most obvious "whitewash". All controversy has been scrubbed from the film; there are no Black (Reuben) or Hispanic (Ricky) characters, not even any Italians (Jerry BUSCONI has no last name on screen, and Charlotte RENALDI has no name at all; she's just the woman on the bridge.) Reuben is a Vietnam vet, going against the stereotype; he's still haunted, but not a broken parasite. The film-Jerry lives down to the stereotype, using drugs and living in a dumpster. There are no gay characters in the film. There are 3 in the book; Lou Tartaglia (Reuben's friend from back east), Gordie and Sandy. The book skinheads become a schoolyard bully; drab, dusty Atascadero becomes glittering Las Vegas. There is no Sidney G. in the film, a vital link in the Movement. And the scene of the vigil outside Arlene's house is utterly unconvincing as the seed of a worldwide movement. Maybe that's the point; the book was Clinton (in fact, he appears as a character), the film is Bush (as well as bush!) It has happened before, with, for instance, "A Clockwork Orange". The book was Kennedy,the film was Nixon; Kubrick simply ignored the last chapter, in which the protagonist simply grows up and stops marauding. Read the book; ignore the film. Too bad some things don't seem to change.

source: Pay It Forward

*******WARNING********SPOILERS************** This one easily qualifies among the top ten of the worst movies I have seen. Aside from its predictable plot and disgustingly sentimental ending, the moral of this film really sets an all time low. According to this movie, * a child has a responsibility to help his/her alcoholic, abusive parent to recover. * no social misery is so severe that it can't be helped by a buck for a cup of coffee. * everybody deserves a second chance. Unless, that is, if you are a male alcoholic. Then you are evil and enjoy setting kids on fire. The list can be made longer, but I think I've made my point. Beware of this one, it's a real turkey.

This is one of the most moving movies that I have seen in years. The performances are excellent by all the cast members and the emotional tie you develop with the characters is so amazing that you start to feel what they are feeling and go through their good and bad times. This movie is inspiring and heart driven. I really enjoyed this movie because of the well written story and smoothly moving plot of this movie. The movie does not leave you confused as to what is going on or why. That's why I gave this movie a 10, because it is excellent. The odd thing is about movies, the ones that aren't really that good get the awards, yet the really good ones never get one. I have really never understood that. This movie should have been given an award.

Life is full of inconsistencies, and it is not without a sense of irony. There are people that have tried to make a difference in life and some of them have paid for it with their lives. Some that come to mind are Martin Luther King Jr, JFK, Gandhi and Terry Fox. It's not easy to change the world. It takes a lot of hard work and determination. And it doesn't happen overnight. But then you see a film like this and you begin to question that rationale. What if a concept like this really was implemented? What if every single person that had a favour bestowed upon them was asked to pay it forward? Is it possible that a Utopian world could be achieved? I doubt it, but it certainly would go a long way to making this condemned world a better place to live. I don't think this is one of the best movies that I have ever seen. I don't think it is even the best film that I will see this year (although it will make my top ten ) but the idea behind it is what has me intrigued. Believe me when I tell you this. I don't think I have ever been as emotionally galvanized as I was in this film. There is a raw power, a truth that rings clear in Pay It Forward and if there was one film that I would want people to see this year, it would be this film. It is entertaining, it is superbly acted, and it the one true film, the one true idea that really could help make a positive and tangible difference in our society and our world. In some circles this film has been criticized for laying on the fluff. It is too much like a soap opera. And that is so far from the truth. Let's recount the issues at hand and examine them. Kevin Spacey plays a burn victim because of child abuse. Helen Hunt plays a single mom that is having a hard time recovering from alcoholism and has a bad case of "can't get her ex-husband" out of her life and her bed. Haley Joel Osment plays a wise beyond his years son that had to grow up precociously because of his mother that suffers from the above. Every character in this film, including the bit players suffers from real problems. If people have a hard time understanding this then just go to an average suburban classroom in North America and arbitrarily pick out ten kids. Chances are you will find cases of alcoholism, child abuse, divorce and a plethora of issues that are not conducive to a healthy environment for a child. So this film is just mirroring life. That's all. The performances by the three leads is nothing short of brilliant. Not as much can be said for the rest of the cast, but Spacey, Osment and Hunt all could be nominated this year when March comes. All three bring compassion and depth to the three scarred people that they portray. But especially intriguing is Osment. He doesn't need to say anything in order for you to understand him. It's a look, a twitch, a smile, a shiver. Anything he does helps us understand who he is and why he is that way. Osment is one true gifted actor and I really don't think he is going to fade away in the years to come like so many other child prodigies. This is the real deal. By following up Sixth Sense with a performance this real solidifies him as a true thespian. If you have not seen this film for whatever reason, and its box office suggests most haven't, then do yourself a favour and take a chance on it. Not only will it do you good, it really might help change you in some ways. And as Osment says in the film, maybe we may all see in some way that, " the world isn't really s**t." 9 out of 10 ( and bring lots of tissues )

Pay It Forward is based on a plot that makes you think almost about everything -both while watching and after. There are elements that make you smile and cry, and the cast is very good at delivering the superb scenario. Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey surely do not disappoint and Haley Joel Osment performs perfect, giving everything one could expect from such a young actor. Jon Bon Jovi is the surprise among the cast and adds a nice flavor to an already delicious dish. From the beginning until the very end, the movie manages to touch somewhere deep in your heart, and although I did not the book it was based on, the plot makes a lot of sense in its entirety and shines with its originality. It does not come with numerous awards or an exceptionally high IMDb rating, but it really is a very good movie.