Line #19 Film/PayItForward


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pay_it_forward.jpg]]
2
3	''Pay It Forward'' is a 2000 drama film directed by Creator/MimiLeder and [[TheFilmOfTheBook based on the novel]] by Catherine Ryan Hyde, starring Creator/HaleyJoelOsment, Creator/HelenHunt, Creator/KevinSpacey, and (in a minor role) [[Music/BonJovi Jon Bon Jovi]].
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5	A boy named Trevor is given an assignment to "think of something to change the world, and put it into action". He thinks of "paying it forward", in which you help three people, and tell each of them to "pay it forward", and help three other people. We see the implementation and results of this plan for kindness through the eyes of the people he pays it forward to.
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7	----
8	!!This film provides examples of:
9	* AbusiveParents: [[spoiler:Trevor's father beats his mother, Mr. Simonet's father beat his mother and him (not to mention '''burning him alive'''), and Trevor's grandmother is implied to have been this.]]
10	* AchievementsInIgnorance: This is the plot as described by the mother:
11	--> "You don't know my son, you tell him he can do something and he's going to believe you."
12	* AnAesop: The CentralTheme of the movie is that by performing random acts of kindness for complete strangers we are able to change the world for the better.
13	%%* AlcoholicParent: Trevor's parents. [[spoiler:His grandma too.]]
14	%%* BigBad: The lead bully at Trevor's school.
15	* BullyBrutality: Trevor attempts to protect his classmate from some bullies [[spoiler: and is stabbed to death as a result]].
16	* CampfireCharacterExploration: Arlene and her homeless mother have a heartwarming moment together sitting by a TrashcanBonfire.
17	* CanNotSpitItOut: Eugene has huge problems in opening himself up to Arlene. Twice he starts to explain his situation to her but cannot finish the sentence.
18	* CasualCarGiveaway: At the start, Chris (the reporter) witnesses a hostage situation at a house. The guy holding the hostage escapes from the house, crashing into Chris' car as he leaves. A guy then gives Chris his car as part of the 'pay it forward' cycle.
19	* ChekhovsGun: The knife smuggled into school by the bullies at the beginning is the one [[spoiler: Trevor]] is stabbed with at the end.
20	%%* DarkAndTroubledPast: Eugene's backstory.
21	* DeathIsDramatic: [[spoiler: Trevor]] gets stabbed at the end. Cue SlowMotionFall and then cut to the ER doc telling the the mother he's dead, upon which she collapses.
22	* DeathOfAChild: [[spoiler:At the end of the film, Trevor himself is fatally stabbed by bullies. He’s twelve.]]
23	* DecoyProtagonist: The film starts with a hostage situation. Everyone involved is led to believe they'll be the main focus, but once the assailant takes off and Chris is loaned a car by a passerby taking on the pay-it-forward challenge, the story shifts away from them.
24	* DiabolusExMachina: When all seems to have ended well, [[spoiler: Trevor decides to stand up to the school bullies and is fatally stabbed as a result.]]
25	* DiesDifferentlyInAdaptation: In the book [[spoiler:Trevor]] dies when he rushes in to help a gay couple getting mugged. In the movie, he is killed [[spoiler:defending a kid from some bullies]].
26	* DisneyDeath:
27	** We're led to believe that [[spoiler: Jerry the drug addict is dying when Trevor tries to contact him. We see him again much later when he pays it forward and rescues a suicidal woman.]]
28	** Averted with [[spoiler:Trevor]].
29	* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Trevor dies and his killer is never shown getting any sort of punishment.]]
30	* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Trevor.]]
31	* EveryScarHasAStory: Mr. Simonet explains that his face was disfigured [[spoiler:by his father ''freaking lighting him on fire'']].
32	* ExpositionDiagram: Used to explain how "Pay It Forward" works.
33	* FloatingHeadSyndrome: The movie poster.
34	* FlyawayShot: The movie ends on a zoom-out shot from the backyard while the song "Calling All Angels" is played, symbolizing Trevor's ascent to heaven.
35	* ForgedMessage: How Trevor gets his mother and his teacher into one room together.
36	* GangOfBullies: A very small and one. Just two of them.
37	* GoodScarsEvilScars: Played straight with Eugene's facial scars which are not that repulsive, but subverted later when he [[FanDisservice exposes his badly-scarred chest]].
38	* GreaterNeedThanMine: The injured gangbanger at the beginning of the movie realizes that his wound is being prioritized over a teenage girl who cannot breathe. Despite the fact that the police are already looking for him, he makes a huge scene demanding that she be treated first, going so far as to fire his gun into the floor to make his point.
39	* HatAndCoatShot: The movie ends on a FlyawayShot.
40	* TheHeroDies: Apparently they DroppedABridgeOnHim.
41	* HeroKiller: The bullies' leader.
42	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Trevor dies protecting a kid from some bullies.]]
43	* HowWeGotHere: The movie starts four months into the story in L.A. and then we rewind to see how the pay-it-forward movement started in UsefulNotes/LasVegas.
44	* InterruptedSuicide: Trevor's first person to receive the "Pay It Forward" treatment stops a woman from jumping off a bridge.
45	* IntrepidReporter: Chris.
46	* {{Jerkass}}: [[Music/BonJovi Ricky]], Trevor's father. There's also the bullies.
47	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Eugene is always well-meaning, but he starts out as an anti-social jerk who loves using and pushing academic words on others, including kids.
48	* KarmaHoudini:
49	** [[spoiler: The two bullies who murder Trevor seem to get no punishment for, you know, ''murdering him'', at least not on-screen. However, their presence at the remembrance ceremony, coupled with the looks on their faces, suggests they're [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone remorseful]] and eventually got [[OffscreenKarma found out and dealt with]]]].
50	** All {{Domestic Abuse}}r Ricky gets is the equivalent of a slap on the wrist.
51	* KidsPlayMatchmaker: Trevor arranges a dinner between his SingleMomStripper and his CoolTeacher by writing letters to each party claiming to be from the other side. It works out eventually.
52	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Trevor's mother is instantly guilt-ridden after she slaps Trevor in the face.
53	* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: [[spoiler:In this case, it gets you killed!]]
54	* NoNameGiven: The trio of bullies.
55	* NotAfraidOfYouAnymore: Trevor's teacher tried to do this [[spoiler:to his dad when he was young. To quote a previous role that he played: It didn't work.]]
56	* OutlivingOnesOffspring: [[spoiler:At the end of the movie, Trevor’s mother is still alive. Trevor himself is not.]]
57	* PaedoHunt: Trevor is approached by a stranger who attempts to touch him. Trevor's teacher promptly comes in and kicks his ass.
58	* PatrickStewartSpeech: Trevor gives one at the end when doing the taped interview.
59	* PayingItForward: This is the CentralTheme of the film. As part of a school project, Trevor comes up with the plan to "pay it forward" by performing random acts of kindness for three complete strangers who must in turn each do good deeds for three other people, creating a charitable pyramid scheme that would quickly ripple through society and change the world for a better. [[spoiler:The movie ends on a bittersweet note, as it takes the death of the hero for the movement to attract the media's attention and to eventually grow nationwide.]]
60	* RaceLift: Trevor's teacher was African-American in the book, but played by Creator/KevinSpacey in the film. The role had been offered to Creator/DenzelWashington, but he had to decline due to a prior commitment.
61	* RayOfHopeEnding: [[spoiler:Trevor is senselessly murdered, yet the ceremony implies that his life has still made an impact, including on the audience (see FridgeBrilliance)]].
62	* ReliablyUnreliableGuns: Arlene's rifle goes off when she accidentally drops it in the garage.
63	* SingleMomStripper: Trevor's mom is this.
64	* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: The film tries to reach an idealistic conclusion with a cynical backstory [[spoiler:and an equally cynical ending]].
65	* TeacherParentRomance: Trevor manages to pair his mother with his teacher.
66	* TitleDrop: On numerous occasions.
67	* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: [[spoiler:Poor Trevor...]]
68	* VisitByDivorcedDad: When Trevor's father shows up. It doesn't work out.
69	* VivaLasVegas: Subverted. We get a glimpse [[CrapsaccharineWorld behind the shiny facade]] of the city.
70	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: At the start of the film, Chris (the reporter) witnesses a hostage situation at a house. The guy holding the hostage escapes from the house, crashing into Chris' car as he leaves. A guy then gives Chris his car as part of the 'pay it forward' cycle. The hostage-taker is never seen or mentioned again.
71	* WouldHurtAChild: Trevor's mother slaps him when he says he hates everything about her. [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone She quickly feels remorseful about it, though.]]
72	* WrongGenreSavvy: Played for laughs with the reporter early on, when he is offered a Jaguar for free by a stranger. The reporter is baffled and asks if he perhaps was expected to [[AlwaysMurder kill the stranger's wife]] [[Film/ThrowMommaFromTheTrain in return]] and when this is denied he suspects the Jag might be rigged to blow up (which of course was not the case).

Context Film / PayItForward