Pay It Forward
2000 · Movie · PG-13 · 122 min · ★ 7.4 · 40% critics
A middle-school student is challenged to come up with an idea to change the world, and creates a simple chain of kindness: help someone in a big way, then ask them to help others instead of paying it back. As the idea spreads, it touches strangers and strains family life, testing how far goodwill can really go.
Based on Pay It Foward
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Streaming on Howdy.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 2000
- Release date
- 2000-10-20
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 122 min
- Critic score
- 40/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.4/10 (2,021 votes)
- Budget
- $40,000,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want an earnest, tear-jerking drama about kindness spreading through everyday lives, similar in spirit to Seven Pounds or The Bucket List; Not for you if you dislike overt sentimentality or emotional manipulation.
Pros: uplifting message; strong performances; engaging premise | Cons: heavy-handed emotions; uneven focus; rushed conclusion
Themes
- child's point of view
- candlelight vigil
- good deed
- exotic dancer
- schoolteacher
- extra credit assignment
- disfigurement
- junior high school
- burn injury
- woman director
Cast & crew
Kevin Spacey
as Eugene Simonet
Helen Hunt
as Arlene McKinney
Angie Dickinson
as Grace
Haley Joel Osment
as Trevor McKinney
Jay Mohr
as Chris Chandler
Jim Caviezel
as Jerry
Jon Bon Jovi
as Ricky McKinney
David Ramsey
as Sidney Parker
Gary Werntz
as Mr. Thorsen
Colleen Flynn
as Woman on Bridge
Directed by Mimi Leder