Pay it Forward

Follow up to Pay It Foward
by Marla

I decided to take my own advice on Pay It Forward and see it for myself. First of all, let me just say that this film is certainly NOT Best Picture material, nor is it at all a good movie from a critical point of view. The script is weak and far too sappy, and the ending, as the advance reviews pointed out, is dissatisfying and deeply flawed.

My feeling is that the movie tries to take on too much. It attempts to encompass and address a ridiculous number of themes, including the devastating effects of alcoholism, spousal abuse, the death of innocence, fear of change, fear of intimacy, the power of forgiveness, what it means to be truly inspired, the paradox of faith, the weaknesses inherent in human nature, and plenty more.

Any one of these themes could have been given a larger focus, which would have vastly improved the movie. Instead, there are so many ideas and resonances jostling for attention that the individual issues aren't given enough depth. The movie skates along from moment to moment, with each scene packing a different sort of punch. The viewer barely recovers from the shock of one intense moment before being hit by another, with a completely different thematic meaning. This phenomenon weakens the plot and waters down the emotional impact of the movie.

Despite all of this, I liked the film. There are several very good scenes, and plenty of indisputably funny moments. There certainly isn't anything to complain about with regards to the acting: Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, and Haley Joel Osment were all excellent and gave intense performances, despite the poor writing. Remaining true to their characters must have been difficult given the rather unrealistic scenarios in which they found themselves, but all three managed to remain consistent and fulfilled their roles with integrity.

Mimi Leder did a reasonably good job at directing, too. Las Vegas was an excellent choice of locale for the movie-its landscape is filled with stark contrasts, forming an effective backdrop for the strong emotions and harsh reality of the character's lives. Some of Leder's techniques were very well done, such as her juxtaposition of the city's blighted back alleys with the polish and glitter of The Strip, just blocks away. Her judicious use of the local topography in various scenes -- flat, white desert surmounted by knife-edged black peaks -- added greatly to my enjoyment of the film.

Perhaps the ultimate lesson to be learned from this movie is that some stories which work well in novels fail miserably when presented on film. Although I haven't read Catherine Ryan Hyde's novel Pay It Forward, I can imagine that its overabundance of themes might be a strength rather than a weakness, provided that the novel is able to deepen and connect each bit of the plot.

In the end, it wasn't worth spending nine dollars to see Pay It Forward, although devoted fans of Spacey, Hunt, or Osment might want to catch it as a matinee on a quiet Sunday afternoon. Those of you who are curious should go read the novel. Be sure to let me know what you think.

Marla October 27, 2000