When Trevor McKinney is asked to 'change the world' as a school assignment he comes up with a plan, he figures that if he helps three people, each one of them will help three more people making a pyramid of good deeds that in theory should create world peace. Little does Trevor know that his theory will force him to face his fear of abandonment and get to grips with his abusive and often absent father. Arlene McKinney is slipping faster and faster into a deadly addiction to alcohol, as a single mother working two jobs she has no way to take a break. As she tries to get over her now broken up marriage where she was hit and had her heart broken she works at becoming sober and rebuilding her relationship with her son. Trevor's sociology teacher Eugene who has severe burns all over his face has to overcome prejudice everyday but when he is confronted with the worst situation of his life that will make him come out of his routine he will discover himself. A simple idea may just resonate with the whole world.

I think that Helen Hunt is one of the best actresses at the moment, she perfectly embodies Arlene McKinney and makes her characters redemption from alcoholic to strong parental figure all that more special. I think that her interaction with Kevin Spacey and Haley Joel Osmond is completely stunning and she really makes the film more touching than it should really be. Some of her scenes are complete show stealers and she manages to make the audience so involved in her characters development that she brings a whole other side to the film that may not of been there if she wasn't involved. I couldn't help but believe everything that she said and I thought that she put in a wonderfully well rounded performance that smoothes other the rough edges of the script. Personally I think that this performances is as mature, as beautifully realized and touching as her Oscar winning one in the immensely good As Good As It Gets maybe even more so.

Haley Joel Osment's again astounds and proves his place as one of the worlds finest young actors around, I thoroughly enjoyed his enchanting portrayal of an idealistic boy who knows about the darkness in the world but refuses to let it consume him. Even though the smarter than smart child is fast becoming one of Hollywood's most tired clichés (Osment himself in Six Sense started it all off) I thought that the screenplay wisely allowed Trevor McKinney to still have a real childish side that helps his characters theories becoming more thought provoking rather than less. It is a less than subtle performance, but it didn't need to be and really thought that it kept me hooked throughout, managing to strike the chord between innocent and stupid with incredible maturity, I have to say it. I was impressed.

The most spectacular element to this production is the beautifully observed mother figure. I have seen many movies about addiction but I have never really seen such a strong character who is addicted, without doubt being the most complex and intricate person in the whole drama, all the sides were brilliant. It's another cliché: the single mother who has two jobs a smart but rebellious teen and a messy previous marriage but Arlene is very different, she is strong yet vulnerable and isn't necessarily likeable which is a brave thing for a lead character to be (script wise) I found her recovery infinitely more interesting than the main story and would of liked a bit insight, as most of the harrowing details were glossed over for a crowd drawing twelve certificate. The other main aspect I loved in Pay It Forward was the emerging relationship between Arlene and Eugene I found the union of the two damaged souls inspiring and extremely entertaining.

Visually Pay It Forward is a fairly grim affair the colours are all very drab which adds a lot to the emotional scenes and when we finally get to have lighter colours it is used as an emotional trigger to enhance the supposed sad ending. The sets are fairly claustrophobic which again adds to the atmosphere of this heavy drama which is good but slightly depressing. The clothes aren't astounding but do serve there purpose showing that Arlene is a poor mother and Trevor is an 'ordinary' kid. Direction from Mimi Leder is good but not astounding, she manages to set everything up perfectly but fails to make the flat ending anymore emotionally involving. I enjoyed the backing track especially Calling All Angels.