Film Review: Pay it Forward

THERE IS someone out there who believes that the world can be made a better place by doing someone a good deed when they least expect it - especially in a place like Las Vegas where money is God, daily living is tough, and where no one expects another to do any good just for nothing.

But then there is this idea - Pay it Forward - which amounts to doing something good to someone so that they can in turn do something to change a life or attitude - and if this went around would the world not be a better place? Not really if you think of the possibilities such an idea can achieve as it seeks to do in the film directed by Mimi Leder based on a book by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

As in many films that come out of Hollywood there is this essential belief in the goodness of people, life and the values that may be universal. All fine except that utopia exists in many minds and what a Social Studies teacher sets out to do as an assignment for his seventh grade students sets in motion a movement that reaches the corridors of television station and the world at large.

Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey), scarred and a man of routine, gives his class a special assignment - a year long one - at the beginning of the term. Which is to think of an idea or action that would make things better for someone or something - or change something around you that you don't like! With reactions ranging from weird to good, Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) takes it up seriously. In his endeavours he tries to bring his struggling alcoholic mother Arlene (Helen Hunt) working round the clock to make ends meet and his teacher who is lonely and shying away from women. There is also the parallel story of a young reporter Chris Chandler (Jay Mohr) left in the lurch during a beat is given a brand new jaguar by a passerby. What leaves him wondering about the unexpected altruistic gesture leads to a story idea. He follows this trail of generosity to find that the idea was born in hard life outside the dazzle and glamour of Las Vegas.

For both Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt the roles are challenging because it is almost fairy tale like and they would have had to be really convinced to do it - a fact more easily said than done as both roles are different from the ones they have tackled so far. Kevin with his scars and methodical manner and Helen as the waitress in a nightclub wearing skimpy clothes must have been demanding. Something she had done with a degree of ease and he realistically with his panache and droll wit.

Screenplay by Leslie Dixon this Warner Bros International film has Haley Joel doing a wonderful job as Trevor reiterating his sensitivity and creativity quite belying his age and experience.

CHITRA MAHESH

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Section  : Entertainment
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