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Pay It Forward is a 2000 movie based on the novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde.
A boy named Trevor is given an assignment to "think of something to change the world, and put it into action". He thinks of "paying it forward", in which you help three people, and tell each of them to "pay it forward", and help three other people. We see the implementation and results of this plan for kindness through the eyes of the people he pays it forward to.
Though well-regarded, the film's ending is generally considered terrible.
This film provides examples of:[]
- Abusive Parents: Trevor's father beats his mother, Mr. Simonet's father beat his mother and him (not to mention burning him alive), and Trevor's grandmother is implied to have been this.
- The Alcoholic: Both of Trevor's parents. As well as his grandmother.
- Bittersweet Ending: Trevor is senselessly murdered, yet the ceremony implies that he's still left an impact, including that of the audience (see Fridge Brilliance).
- Creator Killer: Mimi Leder didn't direct for nine years after the film bombed with critics and audiences.
- Diabolus Ex Machina: Infamously.
- Dropped a Bridge on Him
- Exposition Diagram: Used to explain how "Pay It Forward" works.
- Fridge Brilliance: The downer ending is just to ask the viewer if they are willing to Pay It Forward, even if it means sacrificing their own life.
- Heroic Sacrifice
- Hey, It's That Guy!: Bon Jovi frontman Jon Bon Jovi plays Hayley Joel Osment's dad.
- Interrupted Suicide: Trevor's first person to receive the "Pay It Forward" treatment stops a woman from jumping off a bridge.
- Karma Houdini: the two bullies who murder Trevor seem to get no punishment for, you know, murdering him.
- Though if nothing else their presence at the remembrance ceremony, coupled with the looks on their faces, suggests they're remorseful.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished In this case, it gets you killed!
- Not Afraid of You Anymore: Trevor's teacher tried to do this to his dad when he was young. To quote a previous role that he played: It didn't work.
- Paedo Hunt: A stranger approached Trevor and attempted to touch him when his teacher came in and kicked his ass.
- Race Lift: Trevor's teacher in the book was African American. Enforced as they could not get Denzel to play as him so they got Spacey instead.
- Single Mom Stripper: Trevor's mom is this.
- Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: the film is trying to get an idealistic conclusion with a cynical backstory and an equally cynical ending.
- Snicket Warning Label: Stop the movie as soon as the guy is done interviewing Trevor.