Rating: 
Summary: Can you award 'Negative' stars
Review: Horrendous! For anyone who truly loved the book (and I really did), this was the most terrible sort of betrayal. Helen Hunt - let's face it, she's a TV actress. Her Oscar role just happened to fit what she does...every time. Next to Kevin Spacey (also woefully miscast) she's very thin broth. And, I've come to believe that Haley Joel Osment is, like Hunt, a one-trick pony. Admittedly, the book jumps back and forth in time, and would have presented a difficult adaptation [although, I wonder if Quentin Tarrantino could have handled it?]; but, the story was so twisted out of shape that you tend to lose the meaning.
One of my Worst Movies of All Time.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best movies I've seen this year.
Review: Wow, this movie was great, it was mind blowing! If you liked American Beauty you will LOVE this movie. it kept you thinking how the two plots were going to tie together. the ending you just don't see coming. i just can't say enough good things about it. the only thing that i didn't like was the last scene where it pans up and shows the city. it reminded me of the end of Field of Dreams, it just made the movie not believable. other then that i recommend this movie to everyone. It is truly a must see movie.
Rating:
Summary: Horrible.
Review: This film has nearly enraged me. I heard that it was stupid and manipulative - and both of those are true. Mimi Leder, usually a wonderfully competent director, takes a stellar cast and pushes them to the brink of vaudevillesque performances. But that, dear moviegoer, is not the film's true sin... Forgo the two-dimensional portrayals of dysfunctional families; forgo the tin-pan-alley dialogue - let us cut to the heart here. The film has a strong message behind it: that one person can truly change the world by doing something totally selfless and generous to a complete stranger (watch out - I'm going to give away the end here). A great message BUT the main character (albeit an eleven-year-old boy) turns the credo into a personal payBACK - he wants his teacher to help him... Okay - we'll let that go. Then the film goes on and as our hero (played by the wonderful Haley-Joel Osmet) goes to pay it forward again and he gets himself KILLED in the process! So... What are the filmmakers telling us? What is the message here? Try and change the world and you'll be killed for it. Ladies and gentlemen - as a filmmaker for more than fifteen years, I call this irresponsible filmmaking. Shame on Mimi Leder. I have no idea what the book is like - but my most sincere recommendation for this film is to skip it and check out Lean on Me or Cheaters for films that DO work with strong similar messages.
Rating: 
Summary: I was disappointed with this movie
Review: Pay It Forward is about a boy named Trevor who thinks of a way to "change the world". He does something for 3 people, something big which they would not otherwise have been able to do on their own. Then instead of paying Trevor a favour in return, these people have each to do 3 important things for another 3 people.
The idea sounds sooo good, but I was disappointed when I finally saw the movie.
Firstly, the entire movie just seems like a mish-mash of sub-plots which are not all connected together. These individual sub-plots look like good stories. But on the whole they just don't "flow" too smoothly. It's as if the person who made the film had too many good ideas and decided to include everything he/she possibly could within a 2 to 3 hour film. The love story seemed to take away much of the focus from the supposed theme of "Pay it forward". I wished the characters (especially the vagabond guy- James Caveziel I think)and the plots/sub-plots were developed further. Secondly I really didn't think Haley Joel Osment as Trevor was all that fantastic. Don't misunderstand- I loved HJO in Sixth Sense and A.I. But for this movie, he just didn't quite fit into the character he was supposed to play. When I watched him I often had a feeling of deja vu. It felt like I was watching him in Sixth Sense- any time now and he's gonna say "I see dead people". It's probably not his fault. He just doesn't suit the role of Trevor (he's a square peg and "Trevor" is a round hole).
I thought that Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt were great in the movie. But then that's expected. No surprise. I also think James Caveziel was good which is why I wish his character was dealt with more in the film.
As for the ending, it just seems like a rather cheap attempt to illicit some emotion from the viewer. I actually cried I'll admit but this probably didn't have anything to do with the movie itself. The last scenes could have been shown to me on their own and I would still have felt emotional.
OK maybe I should be fair. This movie on the whole can be comfortably sat through. I doubt you will fall asleep (at most you may nod off once or twice). And it is borderline inspiring. All the actors taken together are quite good. But I wouldn't want to see it more than once (unless I fell asleep on the first round).
The main reason why I was disappointed with the movie was probably my overly high expectations- too much hype. So really all the negative reviews are quite useful- they'll lower your expectations sufficiently.
Rating: 
Summary: good movie, rotten ending
Review: Whoever wrote the ending to this movie should be shot. It's a feel-good film until then, and the hokey scene of all the cars with their headlights on snaking up the drive to the McKinney house is stolen right from the ending of Field of Dreams---which was a much better movie. Kevin Spacey delivers his usual crafted, intelligent work. Helen Hunt is out of her depth as the alcoholic mom, and nobody on her level of income would live that well. Haley Joel Osment proves once again that he is an outstanding actor; let's hope he can make the transition to adult roles when he grows up. And I was pleased to see that it was shot in Las Vegas instead of the usual tiresome L.A. or New York format. Three stars---mainly because of Spacey's and Osment's remarkable performances.
Rating:
Summary: good movie, rotten ending
Review: Whoever wrote the ending to this movie (is bad). It's a feel-good film until then, and the hokey scene of all the cars with their headlights on snaking up the drive to the McKinney house is stolen right from the ending of Field of Dreams---which was a much better movie. Kevin Spacey delivers his usual crafted, intelligent work. Helen Hunt is out of her depth as the alcoholic mom, and nobody on her level of income would live that well. Haley Joel Osment proves once again that he is an outstanding actor; let's hope he can make the transition to adult roles when he grows up. And I was pleased to see that it was shot in Las Vegas instead of the usual tiresome L.A. or New York format. Three stars---mainly because of Spacey's and Osment's performances.
Rating:
Summary: An Astoundingly good film
Review: I loved it, maybe a little chick flickish, but hey, I'm a chick. Haley Joel Osment did a fantastic job, his best yet. It was very touching, a real tear-jerker. I give this film 2 very enthusiastic thumbs-up.
Rating:
Summary: Is it possible?
Review: First of all, I don't know what most people are expecting from this movie. But to me, it is all I can expect. The movie asks a question "is it possible?" The idea behind it is probably a little bit naive to some peole, especially to those never do more than routines. It does not just put out the message, it actually dissects the problem people have to do what they think they should do. Watch it and you will know what I mean. Even you don't think through the movie, you will still be touched. And the cast is perfect. Even though the end is not too thoughtful, it is touching in some way.
Rating:
Summary: THE INFINITE RESULTS OF COURAGE!
Review: One person can make a difference in the lives of others, just pay it forward. Do something to help at least three people who in turn do likewise, and watch what happens in the world around you. Such is the premise of this heart-warming film. A fine cast, Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, and Haley Joel Osment make the film believable as they stumble, fall, face their fears, and take action. This is not a fairy tale. It is about infinite possibilities and the power of love and courage.
Rating:
Summary: Solid acting, disjointed storyline, horrible ending
Review: The performances by Osment and Hunt are worthy of praise. Spacey is simply not given the opportunity to do much in this movie (not much range or depth to his character). The story kind of hops around, but does do a good job of getting the audience emotionally involved with the characters. This movie may have earned 3 to 3 1/2 stars if it were not for the absolutely pointless ending. I won't give anything away, but you are made to pay dearly for your emotional involvement.
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