Pay It Forward
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Movie Reviews of Pay It Forward
Movie Review: Thumbs up for a great message!
Summary: 5 Stars
Since other reviewers have done a good job summarizing the story of this film, I want to add the following:
This has got to be one of the sweetest stories I've ever seen told on film. The real driving force behind this story is young actor Haley Joel Osment. While his performance in "The Sixth Sense" was intense, his intensity and pathos delivery is far from lacking in this story as well. The story is about a young boy who comes up with a way to help the world remember the joy that comes in giving to others, especially total strangers. The interaction between Kevin Spacey's character and that of Helen Hunt is a reminder that some of us wear our scares on the outside, while others wear them on the inside. Good character development in this film: Just great for the whole family to watch. The only violent scene is at the end when young Trevor, played by Haley Osment, is stabbed by another school kid and dies a martre for a great cause of love and giving. This is a film well worth watching that talks about the brokeness of the human condition and how all of us can make a difference in this broken world of ours. Better buy a box of tissues for this one if you are prone to cry, because this one will make the tears fall from your eyes; partly out of joy and partly out of saddness as you embrace this well made production.
The only real disappointment was the commentary section on the DVD done by the Director Mimi Leder. The director could have offered far more information, but mostly stayed silent through most of the film while offering some insight into the making of the film. Otherwise it still gets a 5 star rating from me for story content, acting and character development. The cinematography and night lighting work is also very good in this production.
Movie Review: Excellent and thought provoking movie
Summary: 5 Stars
Pay It Forward is a thought provoking, feel good/bad movie (I'll explain that in a bit, btw ending is spoiled ahead). The three main actors here, Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment play their respective roles very well, with depth and emotion. The "Pay It Forward" concept in itself is very interesting. If it started with one person and everyone did "Pay It Forward," in only 21 levels the whole world population would have been "paid forward." Although "Pay It Forward," relies on Utopian precepts, in the end it shows quite the contrary, that the world is not a perfect place, which is evidenced by the ending. The ending really could have gone 2 ways. One, the directors could have chosen to make a happy ending, where everything turned out ok, and that's that. Or two, they show Trevor trying to change the world and getting hurt because of it. Although the point made with ending 2 is more realistic, I feel that Trevor's death is contrived and in a way spoils the movie. I guess it was done to make the movie a bit more "serious," but I took it seriously anyways with Mr. Simonet's dark past and Arlene's problems as well. This would have been a full fledged feel good movie if it had ending 1, but in this case, it's what I call a feel ambivalent movie. So instead of the motto of this movie being, "you can change the world," it becomes more of, "you can change the world but sometimes you lose." I dunno, I guess the ending just doesn't sit well with me, made me feel like I was a bit cheated. That's not degrading the movie in any way, I still really like it a lot. Hopefully on the DVD they have an alternate ending that would have been more to my liking. In any case, I'll be paying it forward, and I hope you will too...Movie Review: heart warming story
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Movie Review: a great FICTIONAL story with a strong messege
Summary: 5 Stars
The movie is a very thoughtful story of good doings and faith in humanity. It is likely that this isn't the first review you've read about the movie so i'm going to hold back on the actual storyline as many of you already even know how the movie is going to end thanks to the reviewers who believe that just because they didn't like the movie, you shouldn't either. I've read many bad reviews so far bashing the movie for "Stealing" ideas from other movies or stories. Some reviews mention the likeness in the ending of the Field of Dreams movie. Perhaps there is some likeness but let's face it, how many original ideas are there. The Lion King, for example, is almost the exact same story as Billy Shakespeare's Hamlet. Anyone ever watch Star Wars? I'm talking about the real ones now. Much of the story of Star Wars greatly resembled Thomas Malory's Le Morte D' Arthur (King Arthur). What I'm saying is that a truly original idea for a movie doesn't happen often. Some people also disliked the movie because they found it unbelievable. Let me also point out that this is a fictional story. To watch it and really take something away from it you really need to just suspend disbelief. This truly is an inspiring movie. The ending was questionable but I'll let you decide what you think of it before I give my opinion. Watch this one with a clear and open mind. Don't be dissuaded by bad reviews but instead figure this one out on your own.Movie Review: Was this a Sam Mendes movie??
Summary: 5 Stars
No, it isn't, but the music director must have had their hands in American Beauty as the opening scenes have some frighteningly similar background music. . . Anyway, on to Pay it Forward. This is a remarkably heart-felt movie. Kevin Spacey plays a middle school teacher who was badly burned as a child. Helen Hunt play the mother of "The Sixth Sense's" Haley Joel Osment. The characters in this picture are amazingly baggage laden. Hunt's character, Arlene McKinney, is an alcoholic, who repeatedly lets her son Trevor's alcoholic father come back to their home. Spacey's character, Mr. Eugene Simonet, is heavily scared both mentally and physically from a less-than-ordinary childhood.
Mr. Simonet, assigns quite the idealistic project when he asks his kids on their first day of the seventh grade, for extra credit of course, to come up with an idea to change the world. Trevor takes this assignment to heart and comes up with the idea of "paying it forward." Simply stated, you do something for a person, something that they themselves are incapable of doing but instead of paying that person back for the favor, you pay the favor forward to three people. Trevor decides to do three favors for three people. . . and the story goes on from there.
This movie is a profound piece of work. The cast is phenomenal. Spacey, Hunt, and Osment are all wonderfully played. Osment is quite a believable actor for being so very young.
epc