A Brit living in Morgantown, W.Va., with my dear wife Bernadette (Caprina1). Spring is sprung, but t...
A Brit living in Morgantown, W.Va., with my dear wife Bernadette (Caprina1). Spring is sprung, but the snow's not over yet! Can't wait until summer's here!
Member since:11.07.2000
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After seeing Haley Joel Osment's earlier film, "The Sixth Sense", I was most pleased to be notified through the internet last October of the then just-released book with this young actor in it. I duly purchased the book, and read it every day, until I finished it. I found the book quite slow at first, but then became deeply engrossed in it. I must say, though, that at first I couldn't determine which of the characters was portrayed by Kevin Spacey - the hero in the book (which I suspected was Spacey) was a black Vietnam war veteran, whose face had been disfigured whilst helping a comrade.
On with the film: as soon as it was released in Harrow, Middlesex last Sunday, I just had to see it. The book had been charged with so much emotion, that many a time I was close to tears whilst travelling to work on the London Underground.
The race of the hero, and the history of his facial injuries were just the start of the differences to the original story. Nevertheless, the tale is a very good one: Eugene Simonet is a teacher (portrayed by Kevin Spacey). He is seen at the beginning of the film, with his back to a class of 11-year-olds, as they noisily file in to the first day of term.
There is a dramatic hush, as the teacher slowly turns and reveals that his face is deformed by scarring. All eyes are on the quiet, bespectacled man, as he starts his welcome speech using words aimed at encouraging his charges to look up and learn words from the English dictionaries he later hands out. He rolls up the projector screen covering the board behind, revealing the words of the children's project for that year: to come up with an idea which will make a change in the world.
One boy, Trevor Mackinney, played by Haley Joel Osment, looks at the words of the assignment with bewildered interest. And so begins his Utopian idea of "Paying it Forward", to do something really big for someone else, rather than paying back someone who has already helped you.
An investigative reporter, a long way away in California, has had his car damaged during a police raid. As he looks at the dented door of his vehicle, a stranger gives him the keys to his new Jaguar. The stranger tells him he must "Pay it forward". He tells him he has recently had some good luck, which we learn was in the casualty department of his local hosptial, where a stranger gives up his place, so that his daughter, suffering from an acute asthma attack, can be seen by the nurse.
Determined to find out who started these acts of goodness, our reporter then travels until he comes to the small town where Trevor -- who believes than his idea is just not working -- is living with his alcoholic mother (played by Helen Hunt), Arlene Mackinney. Arlene has told her bag-lady mother (played by Angie Dickinson) of Trevor's project, and she is the source of our reporter's queries.
Arlene and Eugene become involved. There is a brief halt to their relationship, when Ricky, (played by Jon Bon Jovi) Trevor's father, shows up. He quickly finds out that he is not welcome.
Arlene learns from Eugene, of the nature of his facial injuries, which were caused by his violent father. Not wanting the same to happen to Trevor, she doesn't give in to Ricky.
After an interview with our intrepid reporter, which is later played on the TV, there is a tragic end to our story.
Even if you have read the book, go along and see the film. It is a story which will leave you dew-eyed with the child's innocent belief of the power of good over bad.
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Production Year: 2007 - Drama - Director: Mike Binder - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett, Liv Tyler, Saffron Burrows, Donald Sutherland, Mike Binder
Production Year: 1998 - Drama - Director: Carl Franklyn, Carl Franklin - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Meryl Streep, William Hurt, Renee Zellweger, Tom Everett Scott, Nicky Katt, Lauren Graham
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Director Mimi Leder's third movie,Pay it Forward, finds her moving into softer, more ... more
intimate territory after making her name with a pair of high-budget action spectaculars,The PeacemakerandDeep Impact. This is a would-be heart-warming fable about the ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Director Mimi Leder's third movie,Pay it Forward, finds her moving into softer, more ... more
intimate territory after making her name with a pair of high-budget action spectaculars,The PeacemakerandDeep Impact. This is a would-be heart-warming fable about the ...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Is it possible for one idea to change the world? Just imagine. You do a favor that really ... more
helps someone and tell him or her not to pay it back but to pay it forward to three other people who in turn each pay it forward to three more - and on and on ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Tormented by an abusive and absent father (Jon Bon Jovi), young Trevor McKinney (Haley ... more
Joel Osment - The Sixth Sense) takes his teacher's (Kevin Spacey) challenge to make the world a better place as part of a school assignment, seriously. He comes up w...
Advantages: Inspiring stuff that just might change the world but the scouts have been trying for years (credit to talltone) Disadvantages: A few but generally seamless
treeman 15.10.2001 (18.10.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Pay It Forward (DVD)
Advantages: Somewhat original story, original concept, great performances, touching, makes you think Disadvantages: A bit over sentimental for some (you'll need to be armed with tissues!)
IzzyS 30.12.2007 (30.12.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Pay It Forward (DVD)
![Pay It Forward [DVD] [2001]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78523606.jpg "Pay It Forward [DVD] [2001]")
Jan 25th, 2001
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