PAY IT FORWARD

US, 2000, 124 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment, Jay Mohr, James Caveziel, Jon Bon Jovi, Angie Dickenson.
Directed by Mimi Leder.

A journalist intruding on a siege scene sees his car smashed by an escapee. However, a businessman gives him his Jaguar to drive, no strings attached. Amazed and confused, the journalist pursues this story of generosity and discovers a trail of people who have received help from strangers who were 'paying forward' rather than paying back for what they had received.

Meanwhile in Las Vegas, teacher Eugene Simonet begins his Grade 7 Social Studies class by challenging his students to find a new idea that could change the world. Trevor, whose mother, Arlene, is alcoholic and whose father has disappeared, plans to help three people who, in turn, might help three people each. There would be a movement of generous help of people who 'pay it forward'.

Trevor helps a homeless addict (who later prevents a suicide) who also helps Arlene. At first angry with Simonet, she is manouevred into meeting him by Trevor who has come to admire him. They fall in love. Unexpectedly, Trevor's father returns and Arlene feels she has to give him another chance. Eugene tells her the story of his childhood with a violently abusive father who had set him alight and burnt his body and face. He cannot forgive Arlene.

The reporter traces the movement back to a prisoner who had helped the Jaguar owner's asthmatic daughter in an emergency. He had been helped by a bag lady - who, in fact, is Arlene's alcoholic mother who had learned of Trevor's project. Hailed as a celebrity, Trevor is filmed for television on his 12th birthday. However, he has failed in helping his schoolfriend against bullying. When he does so, he is stabbed in the schoolyard and dies. Crowds gather for a candlelight remembrance vigil at his home.

Markets are an image of the world. They offer both trash and treasure. Helen Hunt's Arlene sees herself as trailer trash, an alcoholic, promiscuous, a victim of a violent, drunken husband. But it is her son, Trevor (Haley Joel Osment of The Sixth Sense and AI) who discovers the treasure, the goodness in each person and their capacity for being selfless and helping others.

Most movies depend on a conflict between good and evil for their dramatic impact. It is very difficult to make a movie about goodness. It seems too good to be true. Or it seems sentimental wishful thinking. Leslie Dixon's screenplay, based on a novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde, acknowledges these difficulties and often inserts sharp comments about do-goodism and being too optimistic. The Las Vegas working setting (with the sleazy backgrounds of the gambling city), the portrayal of people on the streets, drug and alcohol addiction, the reality of physical abuse and dysfunctional families, schoolyard bullying and violence ensure that the audience knows that this is the real world with its mean streets and that this is where goodness is needed and is possible.

Kevin Spacey has shown versatility in his performances, especially his villains (The Usual Suspects, Seven) and his ambiguous suburban heroes (American Beauty). His Eugene Simonet is a good man, litteraly scarred by domestic violence, who strives to overcome his bitterness by encouraging children to engage with the world and try to change it. Helen Hunt gives a strong variation on her single mother performance in As Good as it Gets. Osment also shows versatility and conviction as a boy who eventually is presented as a martyr. Direction is by Mimi Leder who gained her experience on Hill Street Blues and ER as well as movies, The Peacemaker and Deep Impact.

1.The impact of the film? The comic touches? Serious? Popular? Sentiment and sentimentality?

2.The plausibility of the plot, Trevor’s behaviour, the effect of the pay it forward scheme? Credible? The preaching of the scheme of pay it forward? Offering hope? The sudden change with Trevor’s death?

3.Las Vegas as the context for this story, its gambling background, criminality? Homes, the school, the casinos? Las Vegas society? The community outside the casinos?

4.The focus on the Mc Kinney family? Trevor and his age, his life so far, his anger with his mother, with his absent father? Taking the angers to school?

5.The introduction to Mr Simonet? His face, alone, going to the school, new at the school, his class, his talking to the students, his vocabulary – and the importance of words (and this later intimidating Arlene)? His story, his angers? His place in the school? Social studies, talking to the students? Their responses and ideas? His singling out Trevor for his idea?

6.Trevor, taking the assignment seriously, going into action? The encounter with Jerry, his drug background, homeless? Bringing him into the house? Arlene discovering him, her anger, wanting to oust him? Jerry in the garage, the next encounter with Arlene, their talk, his explanation of the pay it forward? Her change of attitude towards him? Jerry and his wandering, still wanting the drugs, encountering the suicide girl on the bridge, their discussion, his talking about changing his mind, the option of helping her?

7.Chris Chandler, the journalist, his driving, going to the accident, intruding? His being offered the car after the crash into his? Mr Thorsen? and his lack of explanation? The gift? His finally telling him the story of his daughter, the asthma, the stances of the medical staff, the African American man and his intervention?

8.The African American man, his help in the hospital, his stand, being in prison, his behaviour there? The background story of his meeting Grace? His claim for pay it forward as his own idea? Chandler and his going to visit Grace, her alcoholism, on the streets? Her story of Arlene coming to see her? The reconciliation of mother and daughter? The limits, Arlene explaining her past to her mother? Welcoming her to the birthday party if she could keep sober? Chandler and his arrival at the party?

9.Trevor, the setting up of Mr Simonet with his mother, the go-between? The discussions? His happiness, his angers with Mr Simonet, going to see him in the cafeteria? Arlene’s initial anger, going to see Simonet at school? The confrontations, his coming to the house? Bonnie as Arlene’s friend, her questioning about the relationship? The setting up of the date, the restaurant? The sexual relationship? Mr Simonet and his wariness, the return of Ricky? His going?

10.Ricky, his return, the background of his drinking, his story? His wanting reconciliation? Trevor angry with him, not talking? His drinking again? Taking it out on Arlene? Mr Simonet, his talking to Arlene, her explanation – and his going back over his own story, his father, the burns, the anger of his father? His wanting to rescue his mother? His mother continually going back to her husband? Seeing the pattern with Arlene? The effect on her?

11.The party, Chandler’s arrival, the discussions?

12.The television interview, Trevor’s explanation – and Arlene and Mr Simonet? later watching it? the sad irony of his helping his friend whom he had failed, his death (and pierced side) and the overtones of the Gospel in his 'martyrdom'.

13. The moral of the film – and the moralising?