Movie: Pay It Forward

Release Date: October 20, 2000

Director: Mimi Leder

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment, Jay Mohr, James Caveizel, Jon Bon Jovi, Angie Dickinson.

Tag Lines: “Three imperfect people. One perfect idea.”

“Like some other kids, 12-year-old Trevor McKinney believed in the goodness of human nature. Like many other kids, he was determined to change the world for the better. Unlike most other kids, he succeeded.”

“It all starts with you.”

“Sometimes The Simplest Idea Can Make The Biggest Difference.”

“Have You Heard?”

“When someone does you a big favor, don’t pay it back… Pay It Forward.”

“Some favors you are not allowed to pay back.”

“Is it possible for one idea to change the world?”

“A movie from the heart that connects with the heart.”

“#1 It has to be something that really helps people. #2 Something they can’t do by themselves. #3 I do it for them, they do it for three other people. These are the rules when you pay it forward on October 20th.”

Relevance: In the 1990’s, I loved the magazine “Entertainment Weekly.” Remember magazines? Every week I would run out to my local book store and grab a copy as well as a few books. My mom, as a gift, ordered me a subscription through my nephew’s magazine fundraiser at his school later that decade. So in the late 1990’s, I started receiving them weekly by mail. I still ran out to the book store though for those needed books.

As a fan of everything entertainment and pop culture, I loved the publication from cover to cover. The inside stories, the interviews, the “buzz” and the reviews of books, theater, music and movies were adored and devoured in one sitting. I kept every single one of them for years. It was only recently that I purged them, except for those that included anything Madonna of course. Those I still have. My all time favorite editions fell around Academy Award season. Their details on the nominations, before and after they were announced, the projected winners and the post Oscar magazines were impeccable. I also loved the summer and fall movie preview editions. It gave me the perfect schedule of the movies I needed to see. It was the 2000 Fall preview edition where I first read about ‘Pay It Forward.’

‘Pay It Forward’ was released in October of 2000 and I happened to go its opening weekend. It was a date night, and based on its stars and trailer, I thought it would be a good movie to check out with a significant other. I was right and wrong. It was the perfect date movie and I was enjoying the story, direction and acting. It was touching and I teared up a few times throughout, but then the ending happened and I completely lost it right in the movie theater, sobbing tears rolling down my face with only my jacket sleeves to clean them off. Why I didn’t have tissues is beyond me? Despite my loss of composure in the theater (mind you I was not the only one), I absolutely loved the film. Its simple premise and themes stayed with me long after the credits rolled. In fact, they stayed with me for days.

In the October 27, 2000 edition of “Entertainment Weekly,” there was a review of ‘Pay It Forward’ by one of its critics, Lisa Schwarzbaum. EW always gave a report card grade to what they were reviewing and that was always the first thing I checked it out before reading said review. Ms. Schwarzbaum gave it a “D” grade. With the movie still very fresh in my mind, I was confused by the grade but intrigued on her reasons why the film scored so poorly. I read it and instantly became incensed with her reasons. It was such a heartless, cynical review. She called it “reprehensible” and said it was “blackmailing audiences into joining the let’s-be-nice ‘movement.” (If you google it, you can read the entire review online.) I was so angered by the content of the review, I wrote a rebuttal and mailed it in.

I wish I still had or could remember what I said in my “letter to the editor,” but its main gist was “god forbid a movie tries to get people to be nice to one another.” I promise you it was much more well written than that. In fact, about a week after I sent in my letter, I got a call from EW themselves asking if it was okay to print my letter in an upcoming edition. Hell, yeah! Besides my thesis, this would have been one more thing published, this time in a national magazine. I was thrilled. Unfortunately, it never made the cut. When I received that week’s magazine, my words were no where to be found. I blamed Lisa Schwarzbaum. Way to pay it forward, EW!

“Entertainment Weekly” eventually changed their format and became very anti-Madonna, so I stopped my subscription and haven’t read a single review or story since the mid-2000’s. The movie ‘Pay It Forward’ however as always stayed with me. I have owned it on VHS and DVD and have watched it numerous times throughout the years. I still stand by its simple idea of being nice to someone else without getting nothing back in return. It is simply a decent, human thing to do. It is something that should be celebrated, not denigrated. And that is exactly how I have tried to live my life. Even a simple payment of a complete strangers morning coffee in a drive thru line with a simple message of “pay it forward” can honestly make a difference. Even if that difference is simply making another human being smile. Take that Ms. Schwarzbaum!

Today’s Thoughts: “I think some people are too scared, or something. I guess it’s hard for people who are so used to things the way they are – even if they’re bad – to change. ‘Cause they kind of give up. And when they do, everybody kind of loses.”

I would be remiss if I did not mention the pink elephant in the room, or in this case the sexual predator that is Kevin Spacey. Up until 2017, he was one of my favorite actors and is actually in three of my most influential movies of all time. I used to watch ‘Pay It Forward,’ his first film on this list, at least once a year. That is until 2017. His actions of using his alleged sexual misconduct with coming out as a gay man was reprehensible, not to mention if what he did to Anthony Rapp and others is true. Shame on him. I was so disappointed. So he was boycotted. But then I started this project and I realized that no matter who is in these movies, they are still very important to me and I didn’t want to remove them due to one bad apple. So for the first time in almost four years, I watched ‘Pay It Forward.’

Beautifully directed by Mimi Leder, ‘Pay It Forward’ remains a truly heartbreaking drama with top notch performances by its three leads and ensemble cast. Haley Joel Osment was simply a divine young actor and gave such a “grown-up” performance. He truly was a remarkable. Helen Hunt also delivered a gritty performance of a sometimes very unlikeable character. Their chemistry together as mother and son is really quite incredible to watch.

The movie is still a huge Kleenex film for me. Even though I know what happens and as much as I prepare myself not to cry, the film punches me in the gut and I just weep. And that is exactly what I did today. Does the movie use some clichés to pull at your heart strings? Absolutely. But because its message is so meaningful, I can overlook it. Be kind to one another. Do nice thigs for other humans. Be decent. In 2020, we need more movies like ‘Pay It Forward,’ because the human race still doesn’t seem to get it.

‘Pay It Forward’ is a beautiful film and one that I am proud to have in my top one hundred movies of all time. We all have our cynical moments in life, but sometimes you just need to let them go and give into the goodness around you. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. So to those critics out there, lighten up. And pay it forward.

Ways to Watch: YouTube, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Prime, DVD Availability.