Pay it forward movie analysis
- 1. Pay It Forward Directed by Mimi Leder A moral adventure story about an 11-year-old boy who starts a project of practicing kindness and compassion that spreads to others.
- 3. Summary of the film • Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) is an eleven-year-old who lives in Las Vegas with his working-class mother, Arlene (Helen Hunt), who is a recovering alcoholic. She works hard at two jobs to support her son but feels that it is a losing battle. Trevor is a latch-key kid who often has to take care of himself.
- 4. Summary of the film • This seventh-grader's spirits are lifted when on the first day of school Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey), his new social studies teacher, gives the class an extra credit assignment: "Think of an idea to change our world and put it into action." Whereas the rest of the class has trouble looking past the teacher's badly scarred face, Trevor realizes that he now has been given a moral adventure.
- 5. Summary of the film • The energetic and idealistic boy decides he will do a good deed for three people, something they can't do for themselves, and then will ask each one of them to "pay it forward" by doing similarly difficult big favors for three others. Trevor begins by helping out a homeless man (James Caviezel), a heroin addict. He gives him lodging for a night, a chance to take a shower, and some money so the fellow can get it together and look for a job.
- 6. Summary of the film • Trevor's second mission is to bring the lonely Eugene together with his mother. Only trouble is that they both must deal with old tapes of fear, self-doubt, and lack of self-esteem. And to make matters worse, Trevor's physically abusive and alcoholic father (Jon Bon Jovi) returns home. The boy's third project is to help out a weak classmate at school who is always being attacked by bullies.
- 7. Summary of the film • Meanwhile, a Los Angeles reporter, Chris Chandler (Jay Mohr), is knocked for a loop when a lawyer (Gary Werntz) gives him his Jaguar after seeing that his old Mustang has been totaled. Tracking the rich man down, he learns that his action was part of paying forward the kindness he received from an African American (David Ramsey) in a hospital emergency room. That person, in turn, was given a new lease on life by an alcoholic lady (Angie Dickinson) who lives in her car in a desolate area outside Las Vegas.
- 8. Summary of the film • Eventually, Chandler's investigations lead him to Trevor and his innovative "pay it forward" project that has already had more of a positive impact on the world than he had realized. The reporter does an interview with the boy on his twelfth birthday. Soon afterwards Trevor is back at his good work helping out his classmate at school.
- 9. The film “Pay it forward” concepts • Indifference. It is the scariest trait we have. This is one of the main problems nowadays and we must eradicate it. The movie shows us the struggle with indifference. And the end of the film proves that this problem can be solved.
- 10. The film “Pay it forward” concepts •Connection. Although we all belong to different countries and continents we all are united and live at the same planet. This movie brings us the simple system according to which it is possible to connect people.
- 11. The film “Pay it forward” concepts •Love. It appears within all person’s aspects. “Pay it forward” covers love not only between man and woman, but also between mother and son, between daughter and mother. Surely, the main kind of love is the love to the world that Trevor is trying to change.
- 12. The film “Pay it forward” concepts •Reality of life. Haley Joel Osment as 12-year-old Trevor McKinney is naïve as a child but smart enough to think of life problems. He connects the fantastic picture into a possible reality talking about “paying forward” into a camera. His monologue is filled with such feelings and emotions that you understands a child’s mind is a miracle.
- 13. The film “Pay it forward” concepts •Determination. Kevin Spacey as teacher Eugene impresses students by his fearless determination to teach regardless of his own insecurity brought by his bad childhood experiences and facial deformity.
- 14. The film “Pay it forward” concepts • Kindness & Understanding. After watching the movie you start to think about changing yourself and your life for the better. We learn that helping each other is a good and necessary thing nowadays.
- 15. The End