Common Sense Media Review
Syrupy drama has mature themes, cursing, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Pay It Forward
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 13 parent reviews
Parents say this film has a powerful message about kindness and making a difference in the world, but its execution is marred by inappropriate content and a traumatic ending that is not suitable for children. While some viewers found value in the emotional depth and social themes, many agree that the film contains excessive violence, language, and adult situations, making it not a family-friendly choice.
- powerful message
- inappropriate content
- traumatic ending
- not for children
- emotional depth
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 29 kid reviews
What's the Story?
Seventh grader Trevor (Haley Joel Osment) has every reason to believe that life is harsh and painful. His parents are alcoholics and his father is either absent or abusive. He walks into school every day through a metal detector. Outside his classroom window is an endless expanse of desert. And his mom works two jobs in a city filled with despair, Las Vegas. But then his teacher Eugene (Kevin Spacey) encourages his students to "backflip" the world into something better. He doesn't expect much -- maybe a clean-up of some graffiti. But Trevor decides to do three important favors for people who need them. Then, instead of allowing them to pay it back, he will ask each of them to "pay it forward," doing three favors for other people, and asking them to do the same. One of Trevor's favors is to bring his mom Arlene and Eugene together, though it turns out that it's not just to make them happier. Arlene and Eugene put all of their effort into making sure they don't get hurt again until they learn that it's risking hurt that makes us alive.
Is It Any Good?
If the theme of PAY IT FORWARD appeals to you and you'd like to see three of the finest actors ever put on film, then you're the audience for this movie. If it sounds syrupy, go see something else. Haley Joel Osment portrays Trevor as an extraordinary child, wise and sensitive beyond his years because of what he has had to face, but still completely believable as an 11-year-old. Helen Hunt is heartbreaking as Arlene, a recovering alcoholic with a history of loss and abuse. And Kevin Spacey is breathtaking in a role that's a departure from the tough and wily guys he often plays.
Trevor's idea doesn't always work, but when it does, people are transformed, not by the favors others do for them as much as by the favors they do for the next people in the chain. We get a glimpse of its impact as the story is interwoven with scenes four months into the future, as a reporter tries to track down the source of the mysterious acts of generosity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the "pay it forward" idea. Would it work? What favors would you like to do?
Why do you think the movie spends more time on topics like domestic abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, and bullying, rather than on the changes that gradually take place in society as the "pay it forward" idea spreads?
This movie was based on a book. What would be the challenges in adapting a book like this into a movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 20, 2000
- On DVD or streaming : May 15, 2001
- Cast : Haley Joel Osment , Helen Hunt , Kevin Spacey
- Director : Mimi Leder
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Gratitude
- Run time : 123 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : mature thematic elements including substance abuse/recovery, some sexual situations, language and brief violence
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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