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Pay It Forward

Play trailer Poster for Pay It Forward PG-13 2000 2h 2m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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39% Tomatometer 129 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
The story of a social studies teacher who gives an assignment to his junior high school class to think of an idea to change the world for the better, then put it into action. When one young student creates a plan for "paying forward" favors, he not only affects the life of his struggling single mother, but he sets in motion an unprecedented wave of human kindness which, unbeknownst to him, has blossomed into a profound national phenomenon.
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Pay It Forward

Pay It Forward

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Critics Consensus

Pay It Forward has strong performances from Spacey, Hunt, and Osment, but the movie itself is too emotionally manipulative and the ending is bad.

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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Common Sense Media 12/27/2010
4/5
A bit syrupy, but sentimental teens may enjoy it. Go to Full Review David Ansen Newsweek 03/31/2008
if this is what Hollywood considers serious, important filmmaking, maybe the movie industry should stick to the low road. Directed with the in-your-face subtlety of a sitcom, the tone of the movie is weirdly miscalculated from the get-go. Go to Full Review Jeff Strickler Minneapolis Star Tribune 11/06/2002
3.5/4
Spacey and Hunt create interestingly layered characters who are hiding parts of themselves from themselves. And come Oscar time, Osment once again may be saying, 'I see tuxedoed people.' Go to Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault 09/03/2022
F
The stickiest pile of moosh since "Patch Adams," and it has a comparable tragic ending that invalidates the film’s message. Go to Full Review Felicia Feaster Creative Loafing 01/29/2020
For such a self-righteous movie, Pay It Forward has its own share of racism, class snobbery and spurious moralism in this sloppy attempt to help Americans get in touch with themselves made by a group of people who are out of touch with reality. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 02/15/2013
C
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Audience Reviews

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ri r @Ivana152 Jan 28 An absoulute must-see. At the start i was pretty much sure its a cool movie but i wouldnt watch it if it wasnt for my assigment.....when i tell you i have never had a movie tearing me up so much or at all, i mean it. The ending i didnt really like as well as other people from i saw. But yea i think its a remarcable movie in a sence of emotional dept, changing prespective and helping you see in life. It makes you realise people do, work, say ect... bad things because they were too weak to overcome a negative thing or a situation. See more S S. @SShol Nov 9 Sweet premise - Among the strangest-written endings of a movie. See more Alexander S Oct 20 Pay It Forward delivers a powerful message and standout performances, particularly from Haley Joel Osment, but its daunting and emotionally intense tone may not appeal to everyone, detracting from its potential as a meaningful and impactful story. Grading: C+ See more Tori B @Filmfanhead Apr 22 Such a phenomenal message. The performances were terrific. I honestly feel message was too hard to hear for the people who gave bad reviews. It's a hard thing to do, to put others first, and I can understand why people would nit pick parts of the movie to avoid having to actually open up and listen to it. See more Horror fan 4 @Horrorfan4life 10/22/2024 What an amazing movie. That damn ending!! Spacey Hunt and Osment give brilliant performances. Tim Treakle See more Tim G 09/08/2024 I'd managed to consign this atrocity to the darkest wastelands of my mind until my life decided it may be a useful tool for teaching our child the value of being nice. It's a sickening exercise in emotional exploitation, the nausea inducing nature of which can't even be saved by some very decent actors ying their best. Utter drivel. See more Read all reviews
Pay It Forward

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Cast & Crew

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Mimi Leder

Director

Kevin Spacey

Eugene Simonet

Helen Hunt

Arlene McKinney

Haley Joel Osment

Trevor McKinney

Jay Mohr

Chris Chandler

Jim Caviezel

Jerry

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Pay It Forward

Pay It Forward (2000) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The story of a social studies teacher who gives an assignment to his junior high school class to think of an idea to change the world for the better, then put it into action. When one young student creates a plan for "paying forward" favors, he not only affects the life of his struggling single mother, but he sets in motion an unprecedented wave of human kindness which, unbeknownst to him, has blossomed into a profound national phenomenon.
Director
Mimi Leder
Producer
Peter Abrams, Robert L. Levy, Steven Reuther
Screenwriter
Catherine Ryan Hyde, Leslie Dixon
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Tapestry Films, Bel Air Entertainment, Warner Brothers
Rating
PG-13 (Language|Brief Violence|Mature Themes|Sexual Situations)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 20, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$33.5M
Runtime
2h 2m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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