Pay It Forward

PG-13

Released Oct 20, 2000

2 hr. 2 min.

Drama

List

39%

131 Reviews

Tomatometer

77%

250,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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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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Andreu B

Touching story, but didn't quite fell it. It was a bit simple but good.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/19/24

Full Review

Bill W

one of the best movies ever made, the critics are wrong as usual

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/04/24

Full Review

Doug W

Totally entertaining movie! Rotten Tomatos get it wrong about the ending. The candlelight memorial at the movie's conclusion portrays the profound effect the ‘Pay It Forward' idea has had on the lives of so many.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/15/23

Full Review

Ken R

Pay It Forward: Nice Idea – Disappointing Execution Hollywood is on display here, sadly, mostly in its shallow glory. This one starts off well but too quickly dumbs itself down with a superficial veneer of emotional manipulation. Spacey and Hunt, while convincing, seem somewhat miss cast as a school teacher and single 'recovering' alcoholic mum - with her son playing cupid in classic sitcom-style ‘seriousness'. While the movie-makers have good intentions in attempting to include some ‘worthy' causes, they sadly end up not doing full justice to any of them. In an attempt to add ‘depth' to the often labored, clichéd situations, it feels as if the producers have tacked on a tragic ending that stretches the running time and emotionalism beyond its welcome. Those looking for some sort of a message may find something pleasing or even inspiring, others may be left wading through the messy editing structure, and some heavy-handed plot devices. For a movie largely about kids, it's not a particularly good one for them to see – another good idea wasted in Hollywoodisms.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/20/23

Full Review

Devin B

Amazing movie with a powerful message!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/01/23

Full Review

broheim b

Boring and lame. Something your stepdad who fancies himself an expert on Mark Twain and the Titanic would think is profound.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/24/23

Full Review

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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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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

A bit syrupy, but sentimental teens may enjoy it.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 27, 2010

Full Review

David Ansen

Newsweek

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.

Mar 31, 2008

Full Review

Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

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.'

Rated: 3.5/4

Nov 6, 2002

Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

The stickiest pile of moosh since "Patch Adams," and it has a comparable tragic ending that invalidates the film’s message.

Rated: F

Sep 3, 2022

Full Review

Felicia Feaster

Creative Loafing

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.

Jan 29, 2020

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: C

Feb 15, 2013

Full Review

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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
Executive Producer: Mary McLaglen, Jonathan Treisman
Screenwriter: Catherine Ryan Hyde, Leslie Dixon
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers, Tapestry Films, Bel Air Entertainment
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
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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