A social studies teacher’s (Kevin Spacey) assignment to "think of an idea that could change the world” spurs a young seventh-grader (Hayley Joel Osment) to launch a campaign that leads to social changes that spread from city-to-city.
His idea is that if he can do three good deeds for someone and they in turn can reciprocate with three random acts of charity of their own ("paying it forward”) and so forth, positive changes can occur.
What appears to initially be a failure, is indeed a success as his "Pay It Forward” plan sweeps the nation. This is not immediately known but is traced backwards by a reporter who is a benefactor of the "Pay It Forward” idea.
The initial recipients of the boy are a drug addict, his badly scarred school teacher, and a classmate who is constantly bullied by his peers. While physically and mentally scarred by past events, the teacher is not the only one bearing scars. The young boy fears his mother’s fate, particularly at his brutal, alcoholic father’s hands. The mother also bears scars from her childhood with a homeless, alcoholic mother. Osment plays matchmaker between his mom (Helen Hunt), divorced waitress, and his scarred teacher.

2000

10563663

Movie

1.85:1

123

1

~$3.69

2024-01-26

2018-02-07 18:39:15