Pay It Forward

Play trailer

Pay It Forward

PG-13

2000

2h 2m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

39%

Tomatometer

129 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

The story of a social studies teacher who gives an assignment to his junior high school class to think of an idea to change the world for the better, then put it into action. When one young student creates a plan for "paying forward" favors, he not only affects the life of his struggling single mother, but he sets in motion an unprecedented wave of human kindness which, unbeknownst to him, has blossomed into a profound national phenomenon.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Pay It Forward has strong performances from Spacey, Hunt, and Osment, but the movie itself is too emotionally manipulative and the ending is bad.

Read Critics Reviews

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/27/2010

4/5

A bit syrupy, but sentimental teens may enjoy it.

Go to Full Review

David Ansen

Newsweek

03/31/2008

if this is what Hollywood considers serious, important filmmaking, maybe the movie industry should stick to the low road. Directed with the in-your-face subtlety of a sitcom, the tone of the movie is weirdly miscalculated from the get-go.

Go to Full Review

Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

11/06/2002

3.5/4

Spacey and Hunt create interestingly layered characters who are hiding parts of themselves from themselves. And come Oscar time, Osment once again may be saying, 'I see tuxedoed people.'

Go to Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

09/03/2022

F

The stickiest pile of moosh since "Patch Adams," and it has a comparable tragic ending that invalidates the film’s message.

Go to Full Review

Felicia Feaster

Creative Loafing

01/29/2020

For such a self-righteous movie, Pay It Forward has its own share of racism, class snobbery and spurious moralism in this sloppy attempt to help Americans get in touch with themselves made by a group of people who are out of touch with reality.

Go to Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

02/15/2013

C

Read all reviews

ri r

@Ivana152 6d

An absoulute must-see. At the start i was pretty much sure its a cool movie but i wouldnt watch it if it wasnt for my assigment.....when i tell you i have never had a movie tearing me up so much or at all, i mean it. The ending i didnt really like as well as other people from i saw. But yea i think its a remarcable movie in a sence of emotional dept, changing prespective and helping you see in life. It makes you realise people do, work, say ect... bad things because they were too weak to overcome a negative thing or a situation.

See more

S S.

@SShol Nov 9

Sweet premise - Among the strangest-written endings of a movie.

See more

Alexander S

Oct 20

Pay It Forward delivers a powerful message and standout performances, particularly from Haley Joel Osment, but its daunting and emotionally intense tone may not appeal to everyone, detracting from its potential as a meaningful and impactful story. Grading: C+

See more

Tori B

@Filmfanhead Apr 22

Such a phenomenal message. The performances were terrific. I honestly feel message was too hard to hear for the people who gave bad reviews. It's a hard thing to do, to put others first, and I can understand why people would nit pick parts of the movie to avoid having to actually open up and listen to it.

See more

Horror fan 4

10/22/2024

What an amazing movie. That damn ending!! Spacey Hunt and Osment give brilliant performances. Tim Treakle

See more

Tim G

09/08/2024

I'd managed to consign this atrocity to the darkest wastelands of my mind until my life decided it may be a useful tool for teaching our child the value of being nice. It's a sickening exercise in emotional exploitation, the nausea inducing nature of which can't even be saved by some very decent actors ying their best. Utter drivel.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Mimi Leder

Director

Kevin Spacey

Eugene Simonet

Helen Hunt

Arlene McKinney

Haley Joel Osment

Trevor McKinney

Jay Mohr

Chris Chandler

Jim Caviezel

Jerry

Finding Forrester

74%

79%

Finding Forrester

Watchlist

Shower

87%

91%

Shower

Watchlist

Songcatcher

74%

77%

Songcatcher

Watchlist

The Cider House Rules

72%

77%

The Cider House Rules

Watchlist

The Emperor's Club

50%

67%

The Emperor's Club

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

The story of a social studies teacher who gives an assignment to his junior high school class to think of an idea to change the world for the better, then put it into action. When one young student creates a plan for "paying forward" favors, he not only affects the life of his struggling single mother, but he sets in motion an unprecedented wave of human kindness which, unbeknownst to him, has blossomed into a profound national phenomenon.

Director: Mimi Leder
Producer: Peter Abrams, Robert L. Levy, Steven Reuther
Screenwriter: Catherine Ryan Hyde, Leslie Dixon
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Tapestry Films, Bel Air Entertainment, Warner Brothers
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Brief Violence|Mature Themes|Sexual Situations)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 20, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $33.5M
Runtime: 2h 2m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now