Rating: 
Summary: Well Meaning, but Ultimately Overdone.
Review: This film tries hard, and gets along three quarters of the way near hitch-free. But then, alas, it bellyflops into sickly sentimentality. Though the performances make it alot better than it could have been, no actor alive could totally save the film. (if Two Academy Award Winners and One Academy Award Nominee can't save it, what hope is there) So, the Actors arn't to blame.. Who is you ask? Well, the Screenwriter and the Director are the ones who have to answer here. Alowing the film to degenerate just when we start thinking, "Hey, this is pretty darn good, I thought it was gonna be sickly." Out of all the Wonderful performances in the film, which doesn't just stop at the three principles, James Caviezel takes the No. 1 Performance Honor, After the focus of the film shifted away from him a little, My full Attention went with him. The Three Stars are Obviously Wonderful, we've come to expect Oscar Worthy Performances from all of them, and they DO give them here, I could picture some scenes being played on the Oscar Screens as they got up to Accept their awards and it fit well. It's the film on a whole that lets them down, and lets us down.
Rating: 
Summary: The Pay it Foward review
Review: This was a quality film. Great acting, great story. Alot of big name stars, but the downside was that it thought that it had to throw in a weepie ending. Is ok like in the Green Mile but this did it and failed. I still teccomend it for the strong message it puts out
Rating:
Summary: IT was the only way to end the Movie
Review: I have heard critics say that Master Haley Joel Osment is being typecasted. The Trevor character has the same endearing wuality of compassion as his Cole character of "Six Sense". But I think that is a bit of hogwash. Mister Matthew Eugene Osment knows what is best for his son and I think he knows that this kind of character is what will be popular for any child actor. I really don't think of Master Hale Osment as a child actor psychologically, anyway; he's too perfect. And a person who can grab people with a look has had good observations of what makes people tick. And since, Master Osment has these skills, he will be able to move with the cheese in the big rat race. It just isn't necessary for him to do a different kind of role, yet... Master Osment deserves the credit of being THE main actor.
Rating:
Summary: MOVING, BUT WITH SOME IMPERFECTIONS
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Saw It Twice
Review: Even though I dont have the DVD I did see this movie in the theaters. Twice in two days (and I dont usually spend the money to go to a theater!). I would say it was entertaining...both funny and sad... I am a big fan of Helen Hunt and thought she did well in this. There were some things of course that would be hard to believe but all in all a good movie. Of course the typical description would be a great "Chick Flick".
Rating: 
Summary: Sappy Load of BS
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: It Will Make You Think!
Review: Haley Joal Osmond Plays A Roll Of A 12 Year Old Boy Starting In 7th Grade And His Teacher (Kevin Spacey) Wants The Whole Class To Find In Idea To Change The World. So The Kid Decides To Pay It Forward Which Means For Person To Do 1 Good Thing To 3 Different People And Then 1 Of Those People Help 3 More.And So On.
Rating:
Summary: A movie that makes you ride a rollercoaster of feelings
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: I really loved this movie
Review: When I went to see this movie, I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I was extremely impressed and excited. First of all, the acting in this movie was absolutely incredible. Kevin Spacey was excellent in his portrayal of a teacher who tries to truly inspire his students. He was entirely believeable and perfectly cast. Helen Hunt was also amazing as a single mom with many problems of her own. The best performance was given by Haley Joel Osment as a kid who despite great obstacles, takes his teacher's assignment to heart. The basic concept revolves around one person doing something good for three people and those three people doing something good for three more people each. It is through this concept that the story is told. At times, it can get a bit confusing trying to connect all the people and good deeds that you witness together, but it is easy to figure out in the end. At the end of the movie, you felt as though one person can truly make a difference in the world and although I know others have disagreed with the ending, I think it is unfortunately perfect. I have recommended this movie to many of my friends already and they have all had positive things to say about it as well. I hope that it wins some awards for it's awesome story and the amazing cast and their performances because they truly deserve it. Go see this movie if you haven't and make up your own mind.
Rating: 
Summary: Pay Nothing
Review: I saw this film because I thought it would be great seeing that Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, and Haley Joel Osment were in it. Boy, was I dead wrong. Just even the concept that poeple would actually "pay it forward" with generosity to other strangers is not realistic. As the film starts your thinking: "What does this have to do with anything?" Then you think it will all come together. And it does but not in the way that you expect it. Throughout the film there is contant jumps to this other situation that makes it hard to relate to the main charcters. All in all this film was lame and sappy with a horrible, horrible, laugh out loud ending that makes you want to beat yourself over the head with a hammer. I will although give credit for the actors acting. That was good but "Pay it Forward" is anything but.
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