Written by Tim
August 02, 2010
A simple idea could sometimes be the best idea of all…
The idealistic thinking of an 11-year-old boy is very simplistic and therefore, in some ways, more rational than an adult. Oftentimes, we adults take too much into consideration before making a decision or taking an action. A simple idea could sometimes be the best idea of all…
- It has to be something that really helps someone.
- It has to be something they can't do by themselves.
- I do it for them, they do it for three other people.
These are the three rules that Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) places on his Social Studies assignment. The assignment, given to his 7th grade class by their teacher, Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey), was to come up with an idea that may just change the world. There was never the intent to make this class actually change the world, but to make them challenge themselves to think. Young Trevor took this to heart and came up with the idea of this domino effect plan. He would do for others something that, for one reason or another, they couldn’t or wouldn’t do for themselves. The idea of the plan was to help 3 people and they, in turn, would help 3 others. And so on… and so on…
Trevor and his mother Arlene (Helen Hunt) live on the outskirts of Las Vegas where she works two jobs to maintain a reasonable life for the two of them. Their social standing is a bit of a hindrance in Trevor’s pursuit in starting his project. Since he does not have any money, Trevor would be forced to do seemingly little things that would make a big impacts on lives.
His first challenge was Jerry (James Caviezel), a homeless man who just needed a place to stay until he was able to get on his feet. This was not that difficult a task to start, but an understanding with his mother might have made it a bit easier. Needless to say, Jerry wasn’t staying in the garage for very long…
His second challenge was to get his social studies teacher (Spacey) and his mother (Hunt) to fall in love with each other. (If it were only that easy…) This too was a difficult and sometimes funny scenario. The majority of the movie was focused on this situation. A lot happens in the course of the film having to do with their relationship, including the return of Trevor’s father, Ricki (John Bon Jovi).
Lastly, there was Adam (Marc Donato), a boy at school who was always being beaten up. Trevor always sees him getting picked on by older boys, and obviously this didn’t sit well with him. This situation plays an almost non-existent story line until late in the movie when adds an unexpected twist.
All the while, in the background, there is another storyline going on. Chris Chandler (Jay Mohr), a reporter form Los Angeles, is unexpectedly given a brand new Jaguar from a complete stranger. Being the reporter that he is, he must get to the bottom of this random act of kindness, and stumbles onto a string of similar acts. Is it possible that the phenomenon has gone all the way from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, and if so, what is the direct line?
Pay it Forward had an original concept and is done quite well. Helen Hunt does a good job at playing borderline white trash and Kevin Spacey shows another strong performance. Haley Joel Osment, as you would expect, is charming as ever and has the obligatory moist-eyed weeping that is expected of him. I’m sure, one day, he will grow right out of that.
