Pay It Forward

I was watching Pay It Forward, the movie starring Haley Joel Osment - you know, the kid from the film Sixth Sense with Bruce Willis? Okay, up to speed now – and was amazed to discover my girlfriend hadn't seen the movie before! This is a film definitely on my must watch list, so thought I'd better blog about it quick before someone else got the idea! Having said that, the film was made in 2000 ;)

Film making is all about storytelling and Pay it Forward is a great story with a brilliant premise: a twelve year old boy makes a difference to the world. It sounds like he must have some kind of super powers or, perhaps, divine inspiration, doesn't it? But no, the boy, Trevor McKinney, played by Osment, takes a school assignment seriously. Simple. It is a difficult school assignment mind you. No short cuts to research on this one. The assignment is a challenge to the students to devise a plan to change the world. See what I mean about the premise? Brilliant!

Mimi Leder directs this wonderful story by Catherine Ryan Hyde (screenplay by Leslie Dixon) and I get the distinct feeling Mimi has held a very loose rein on the actors as this film is a genuine collaboration with actors, director and producers each making serious emotional investment. The chemistry between Kevin Spacey, Trevor’s teacher, and Helen Hunt, Trevor’s mother, is a wonderful and inspiring story in its own right, but Haley Joel Osment is simply stunning as Trevor. Like he did in Sixth Sense, he completely seduces the audience, winning hearts, minds, souls and tears by the bucket full – ensure you have a new box of strong tissues handy.

Pay It Forward is a film title that suggests Trevor’s devised plan to change the world. It is a remarkable story, an inspiring film and a real lesson to us all. Changing perspective will change your mind.

Tim Rees

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