If theres one thing I cant stand in a movie, its blatant manipulation of my emotions. Pay It Forward not only tugs on the sentimental heart strings, but also it does so with such force that you end up forgetting the point.
Teacher Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey) gives his class the impossible assignment of devising a plan to make a difference in the world. When Trevor (Haley Joel Osment) explains his theory of paying it forward, Mr. Simonet thinks the kid may be on to something. Beginning with three helpless souls, Trevor embarks on a journey of self-discovery as he tries to change mankinds selfless attitude. If you do something significantly nice for three different people and they return the favor by doing the same for three more people, an overwhelming domino effect of gratitude is bound to ensue. Its kind of like the karma-theory equivalent of that ever-so-pesky chain letter.
With top-notch performances by three of Hollywoods leading Oscar contenders, Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, and little Haley Joel Osment, nothing short of perfection could be expected, right? Wrong. Though all three actors pour their heart and soul into their characters, and deliver what some may call a performance of a lifetime, they are still unable to save an overly sappy script and downtrodden flood of emotions.
If Pay It Forward could be taken as a movie in and of itself, I guess I could find something redeemable in its morals. Instead it comes across as a self-righteous propaganda speech chastising humankind for its insincerity. Im not sure if the actual message was to promote the goodness that each of us posses, or if it was to guilt us into being nice to each other, but the entire ending overshadows any message that has even the slightest chance of getting through. For fear of giving too much away, I cannot even begin to express my dislike for the overly emotional conclusion to this slap-in-the-face do-gooder film.
If you’re able to separate great acting from a terrible movie, Pay It Forward may be worth your while. If not, try yelling at a helpless child or puppy for no reason at all and you’ll get the same confused, sorrowful, and angry feelings Pay It Forward leaves you with. I’m not sure this movie is really worth it.
+ Ashley Adams
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