Benefits and Possible Problems: This is a charming and engaging movie which is presented as if it provides an important addition to ethics. It then undercuts whatever force its message has with a poorly conceived and unfortunate ending. The movie has many strengths and many weaknesses. Its chief weakness is that despite its claims, there is no actual "pay it forward" movement and the film has not spawned one. There is a reason for this: "paying it forward" as a way to change the world has some serious weaknesses.

The strengths of the movie include the following: (1) Each of the three main characters wages a valiant battle against the vicissitudes of their lives. Trevor tries to solve the problems of his alcoholic mother and create the family he always wanted. Arlene, the mother, hits bottom and stops drinking. Mr. Simonet, the teacher, is a deeply injured individual who learns through love to open himself to others. Each role is an illuminating study in real character types. (2) The main characters all practice forgiveness in their personal relationships. (3) Trevor's response to his teacher's challenge is creative and genuine. It recognizes that we should go out of our way to help others and that when someone does something for us, we should return the favor to someone else, and more so. It also acknowledges that people can make a difference in the lives of others.

Some of the problems with "pay it forwardism" are easily made clear from the movie. Most of the actions presented as selfless exercises in "pay it forwardism" are either self-serving, unwise, or simply immoral. In "Pay It Forward" there is no sense of balance. What happens if you expend too many resources doing a good deed for one person and not enough is left for all the people whose needs are greater? In addition, there is an implication that once you complete your three good deeds your moral obligations have been met. But what about the rest of your life? The ending implies that Trevor and his effort to encourage morality are too good for this world and that we can't really "change our world" for the better. That is not true. People are changing the world for the better every day.

Another problem is that the movie does not clearly show the mother going to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings in her effort to become sober. Few alcoholics can stay sober without the help of a 12 step program such as AA.

All the problems described above can be obviated and the strengths enhanced through discussion and assignments. In that way the movie "Pay It Forward" can be used to teach important concepts in ethics, forgiveness, alcohol and drug abuse, living with disabilities, and critical viewing. It can be the first film in a series about how a person can really "change our world."

There are scenes in the film which are moderately problematic. Scantily clad women undulate at the seedy Las Vegas bar in which Arlene works. Arlene slaps her son but immediately repents and changes her life, i.e., she stops drinking and stays sober. There is also one scene of Arlene and Mr. Simonet in bed but there is no nudity and there are no suggestive movements. Professional wrestling is shown as family entertainment. There is infrequent profanity.