Rating: 
Summary: Interesting premise, unique execution
Review: ...Pay it forwards seems like a simple statement. Is it a form of altruism or does one expect to receive satisfaction if not a direct results from pay it forward? Some people would give the movie stars for the idea without looking at the execution. Others may detract stars because of the primes, calling it a chick flick or some other...name.In execution some see it accomplishing the purpose. While others say that the kid expected a payback, but just did not call it that. It stats off slow and formula. You can second-guess most of the first part of this film with all the stereotypes and clichés. Then it picks up speed and has unique twists, and unexpected reactions. The ending scenes (which you will never hear from my lips) seem to polarize people further. Some people may go off on some religious tangent while others see that there was no other way to complete the movie. All agree that it is a tear jerkier. I purposely evaded describing any of the scenes as this movie only works if you do not anticipate it. I would recommend watching it once. However I am not sure it is worth collecting.
Rating: 
Summary: Pay It Forward Rules!!!!!!!!
Review: Pay it forward is a great movie.
I think that Trevor had a really good idea to change the world that might actually work in real life!!!!!!BUT............I dont like the end...overall i give it 5.'cause it rules!
Rating:
Summary: We can all larn from this movie!
Review: I loved this movie. The whole world would be a better place if we all lived by the message from this movie. HOWEVER, not to spoil it for anyone, I would have loved a different ending!
Rating:
Summary: Must See Movie
Review: PAY IT FORWARD is just one of those movies which makes you think about life, and how precious everything in your life truly is. Its one of those movies, which makes you realize how precious time is, and how every moment is a special one. As well, it shows you that even the smallest act of kindness can go a long way. Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osmont) is a young pre-teen who is in the 7th grade, and is given a Social Studies project, to do a certain task which will change the world. The project is meant to make him think about the world, but he takes it seriously and comes up with a one of a kind idea. If one person helps another three people, with something that is not an easy task, then those three people will have to help three people each the same way, and so on. The movie is a touching story about family and life. Haley Joel Osmont, Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey have all turned in EXCELLENT performances in this movie, its a must see, it will change the way you look at the world. Go rent it or buy it!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully conceived and brilliantly acted!!
Review: This is an extraordinarily moving and thought-provoking film with a terrific cast. It's shot in a simple, straightforward way that doesn't get in the way of the story. The film is best seen with no preconceived notions of the plot or the story, so this review will not showcase either of those. The film asks a question: How can an individual dissatisfied with the world as it is go about making it a better place? Provided within the film is an answer, as simple as it is revolutionary, and as inspiring as it is illuminating. This is a compelling movie, and watching it has been a profoundly moving experience. The cast is excellent, the acting is first-rate, and the direction is subtle and masterful. This is a film that deserves to be studiously watched and widely distributed. Seeing it can be a life-changing experience - it was for me! Get this wonderful film, and give it the concentration it deserves, and then think deeply about the scenario within and the issues that are involved!! Highly, highly recommended!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Shamelessly manipulative
Review: It's a simple enough scheme: make a movie about the inherent goodness of human nature. People will leave the theater with a renewed sense of helping their fellow man. They'll want to share this feeling, so each will tell three people about how the movie changed their lives. Those people will then go see the movie for themselves, and each of them will, in turn, tell three more. The movie will pay itself forward and no one will realize they've been manipulated, until the production company has made it's money and the movie fades into video hell. What no one seemed particularly eager to consider was that the movie should do more than just banty about the viewer's emotions. That there should be a script worthy of its morality. That it should end with some dignity. Pay It Forward is an embarrassing attempt at worthy story-telling. The three lead actors -- Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment, and Kevin Spacey -- do what they can with the material at hand, but they don't fair very well. Despite continually being the catalyst for the film's progress, Osment's character is not suppose to be the pivotal one, (that really belongs to the disfigured school teacher played by Spacey), but as the precocious 7th grader who takes Spacey's social studies extra credit homework assignment seriously and comes up with a way to change the world, Osment's is the character we focus on. Osment is cute and honest and has that whispery-thing that he does with relevant dialogue down to a science. His huge blue eyes are full of expression and he's to be commended for taking on such large roles for the youngster that he is. He plays Trevor convincingly, a kid who's more mature than his years, mostly from having to take care of his drunken mother, played by Helen Hunt. Trevor schemes up the "pay it forward" plan of doing good deeds for three people in need and having each of them, in turn, pass the favors on to three more. As he tries, and apparently fails, to successfully put the plan into action, there is a movement spreading through the country that he is responsible for, yet unaware of. People are selflessly helping strangers, paying favors forward. In one case, an attorney gives a reporter the keys to a brand new jaguar, which peaks the reporter's interest and causes him to track "the story" from Los Angeles to Nevada to Trevor's door. Meanwhile, when Trevor's mother Arlene find a homeless man living in her garage (the first of Trevor's good deeds), she goes bursting into Mr. Simonet's (Spacey) class at school, demanding an explanation of her son's "homework assignment". It is the first meeting of these two characters, a scene which should be charged with energy, but it falls flat, setting the tone for the rest of the movie. Hunt and Spacey lack any semblance of chemistry, and their characters' relationship, which turns from adversarial to friendship to romance, feels forced onto the viewer. The dialogue is choppy and stilted and completely uninspiring. To Hunt and Spacey's credit, it is obvious that they have a thorough understanding of their characters, respectively -- Hunt plays the drunken, uneducated mother role with gusto, and Spacey plays the over-compensating, serious, disfigured teacher/role model with plenty of uncomfortable reserve. Both of these actors, however, have wonderful chemistry with Osment, making the scenes between each of the two of them far more interesting and compelling to watch. It is Trevor's second attempt at good deeds that brings his teacher and his mother together, and much of the movie is spent playing out the intricate difficulties Trevor encounters in making this matchmaking work. And then, as if it wasn't enough that it continually uses Osment's cuteness, Spacey's scars, and Hunt's alcoholic struggles to pull the audience's emotional strings, the film stoops lower than low in the manipulation category when delivers its ending. I won't give the end away, but it's shameless movie-making.
Rating:
Summary: A bright film with a dark and dire conscience.
Review: You look around you and you see a world of madness and decay, because the world is falling apart, whether you want to believe it or not. PAY IT FORWARD is a scam, a heartfelt scam, detouring our opposition of the world and our selfishness, and regaurding us with a worthy responsibility and loyalness to family and strangers. The idea is that if you do something big and extravagant (a deed almost insane -in a good way-) for three someones, anyone, then they will do something excellent for three other people as a payment, which is the concept: "PAY IT FORWARD", and continuing follows a string of people who are doing favors and more favors, eventually until the world is populated with generous and giving people. It is an idea that would literally change the world, that is if the entire world followed with the scam. That's the gist of the pudding in this jello bowl film which stars HALEY JOEL OSMENT as Trevor, a seventh grade boy whose social studies assignment is to do something that will effect the entire world, resulting as a phenomenon (big or small). The assignment is delivered by his new teacher, Eugene Simonett (KEVIN SPACEY), a severly abused, burned, and scarred man, but a good one at that his undefiant skill as a person is captivating and mysterious. Trevor lives in a tidy home in Vegas with his alcoholic single mom (HELEN HUNT) who works at a cocktail bar and also a small cafe. The relationship between her and Trevor never strikes up anything other than mostly depression and tiredness, considering their is no liable father, only an abusive one who comes in and out for short periods of time divided by lengthy periods of time. After Trevor's idea takes its starting mark when he invites a homeless man, Jerry (JIM CAVIEZEL), into his house for a day to eat and sleep, his miraculous idea soars as he does something for someone, and Trevor continues to work his magic with his second choice which is where the soap suds pour on in and the sparkle seems to die out in a dark drama with drooling performances, a thick message, but no screenplay. Trevor feels his mom and Mr. Simonett will feel better if they are together, and sets them up on a date that the two don't realize they're participating in, through writing the fake notes and giving the false messages. That's where the focal point of the film falls in the trash can and the story treads through the relationship of Trevor's mom and teacher. Mr. Simonett likes his mom, but is ashamed of his body, and Trevor's mom wants him bad but doesn't say what she should. Then of course, the drunk father returns, Trevor's plan falls apart, there's more depression and sadness, and we're back at square number one. Through the alcohol abuse, the hitting, the cursing and fighting, the runaways, the student bullies (more depicted as juvenile delenquints), the dying relationships, the favor-plan falling apart, and sadness of everyone, PAY IT FORWARD owes more to the audience than it can bare. It's depicted as an uplifting drama with brilliance beyond comepare, but it is really much more emotionally violent and depressing than war films. The depression only increases when the predictability and cliche increases. HUNT and SPACEY reunite, HALEY becomes a media phenomenon, HUNT gives up alcohol, the abusive father leaves, SPACEY finally tells the story of how he was severely burned, and then the soap suds finish their business. But, it isn't over. The biggest mistake makes the ending an obligatory let-down so shocking and vulgar, that the whole movie is worn down. The depression is immense. The shred of happiness we thought we would finally witness just dies. You leave the film only wishing that would've never paid anything in the first place.
Rating:
Summary: THERE SHOULD BE A SEPERATE RATING SYSTEM
Review: On the jacket of the movie it sound like a great feel-good flick. But there should also be ratings included for endings such as SE --sad ending. I HATE sad endings. Forget the message, I want to walk out in a good mood! No doubt the acting was great and the story was even great, but ruined for my best friend and I by the ending.
Rating:
Summary: Phenomenal Performance by Kevin Spacey
Review: This movie is based on a great book written by Catherine Ryan Hyde. The book goes into grave detail how her car broke down and started on fire in a horrible neighborhood. Two gentleman out of the kindness of their hearts came to her rescue not only putting out her a blazed car, but saving her from what have been a event with deadly results. She wrote the book because ever since the incident she feels the need to help people who aren't asking for help but look like they need it. This event that change her life gave her the idea of "Paying it forward."
A young child comes up with the idea of paying it forward which means instead of acting for reason of payment or money. Have the people you help do good deeds for three anonymous people those continuing the trend over and over again. This can affect the entire world if the plan is seriously put into action. I am not going to spoil the movie like certain other reviewers just going to say it was a great movie and is something that all should watch as a family.
Rating: 
Summary: If Only The Real World Worked Like This...
Review: Pay It Forward starts out rather unobtrusively in a classroom in a desert community. Where Eugene Simonet(Kevin Spacey) a slightly disfigured teacher is speaking to his students about a project to change the world. They all find the enormity of the project overwhelming. Although for one of his students, Trevor McKinney(Haley Joel Osmet), who comes up with the idea that he can help 3 people, who will hence help out 3 other people, and so the chain begins. When Arlene(Helen Hunt) Trevor's mom gets wind of where his idea came from when it starts affecting her home life, she has it out with his teacher. Arlene and Eugene soon begin seeing much more of each other. While the concept behind the film is excellent, it's execution on film often comes across a bit dry and stale. There are wonderful touching and charming moments all throughout the film, and like I said in the title, the concept is grand and well worth thought, if we could only find a way to make it real. Even though there are wonderful and charming moments wrought throughout the film, there are times when it feels so dry and stagnant, not to the fault of Hunt, Spacey, or Osmet. The film's real saving grace comes in its finale. It is touching, heart-felt, and all around beautiful. I wish I could give it a half star more, because I really feel its a good 3 & a half stars. You should definately watch it, becuase it is inspiring, and gives you hope that anything is possible. If you haven't seen it, by all means check it out.
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