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Pay It Forward
The film tells 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. One of his students, Trevor, plans a charitable program based on the networking of good deeds. He calls his plan 'pay it forward'.
1 October 1957, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
29 June 1964, Santa Barbara, California, USA
28 September 1986, Los Angeles, California, USA
2 March 1962, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA
23 August 1970, Verona, New Jersey, USA
16 August 1986, Tampa, Florida, USA
January 29, 2005
It is a movie that will not only find but charm -- or should we say con? -- a certain kind of audience.
January 01, 2000
If a movie can coax tears out of me, touch me in a way that the tears flow naturally, more power to it. But stealing my tears by beating me over the head with manipulated schmaltz is a cheat.
June 04, 2001
Not since Gump has there been such a pandering, faux-virtuous package of populist pap for Hollywood to shove in the faces of electioneering politicos and say: Look, we don't just market unwholesome swill to families, we market wholesome swill, too.
December 06, 2005
Despite a ton of good intentions, the picture is numbingly obvious and crushingly sentimental.
October 18, 2007
The film seems manufactured to furrow a cynic's brow before bringing up their lunch.
June 23, 2008
Ironic, isn't it, that a film about human decency takes place in Vegas?
March 22, 2002
Less a worthy achievement than a nice try.
October 14, 2007
There is a clear-cut difference between 'Oscar bait' and 'Oscar worthy,' which Mimi Leder's sentimental crock of a drama illustrates all too well.
June 25, 2001
With its smorgasbord of moralizings, Pay It Forward is a confusing welter of sentiment.
January 01, 2000
Unceasingly manipulative.
November 06, 2002
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.'
December 27, 2010
A bit syrupy, but sentimental teens may enjoy it.