Reviews

First, let me say that "Pay It Forward" has probably the best acting in any film this year. Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment are all superb. They deliver excellent performances - what we've come to expect from them. I was particularly impressed with Hunt's performance, as she showed us a wide range of emotions - all very convincingly. Of course, Osment and Spacey did as well, but Hunt's struck me as the most genuine. The story, also, is very good. It's very believable and quite enjoyable. However, the film is not without its flaws, and the ending nearly spoils "Pay It Forward"'s credibility. I won't tell you what it is - but if you've seen it, you know what I mean. It's completely unnecessary, and added just to get a few tears out of the audience. It's also pretty unbelievable, that what happens actually would. Not what happens after that, mind you. But the climactic point. All events that it's tied to are also unnecessary to the film, and feel like they were written in just so that this particularly bad ending could occur. No matter - "Pay It Forward" is still an enjoyable film with excellent performances by its 3 stars (someone's sure to at least get a nomination at this year's Awards), but the ending leaves a lot to be desired and a bad taste in one's mouth.

it's been probably ten years since i've seen this movie. i don't recall it being bad, but there's something about it that stands out to me as excellent - its soundtrack. some of Denver's most memorable songs come from this cd - "Higher Ground" - "Home Grown Tomatoes" - "Alaska and Me"... listening to it almost makes me cry. what an artist that we've lost... watch it, if just for the songs...

as a movie, "american beauty" is incredibly well done. photography, score, acting - perfection. but that's not what i'm going to talk about. this film has impacted me in a way that no other has. it began an awakening within me that is still flourishing and growing over six months and seven viewings later. it has helped me realize that there are so many simple things that are magnificent, like watching a weeping willow sway in a cool breeze in may... the smell of fresh air... my grandfather, and how that one time he gave me the piece of advice i needed to hear the most... my friends, and how there's nothing more beautiful in the world than seeing them smile... all of these things that i'd really never appreciated as much as i should have... and there's so much more. i'm happy now. content with life, even though the circumstances with which i deal every day are straining - watching my mother suffer from being bedridden by multiple sclerosis, spending time in isolation, etc... and yet i couldn't be happier... i understand that not everyone likes this film, and i'm not saying that you should... but it has helped change my life, and for that, i can't praise it enough...

Let me begin by stating that The Green Mile was entertaining and I enjoyed watching it. I really did. But I left the theater feeling like something was amiss.

So I went back and saw it again. Sure enough, I figured it out - the movie is trying to be something more than just a film. It's trying to reach out and touch the viewer. And it may, in many cases, do just that. But it didn't for me, and here's why - the story is one that is *deeply* about religion. John Coffey parallels Jesus Christ (same initials, too - how convenient) and this I found to be awkward. I happen to be an athiest, and while I don't mind people talking about God or their belief in Him, I dislike it when people try to push their view on me. I got the impression like it was trying to be forced, like the movie was attempting to instill faith in its viewers. It just didn't work for me.

What's the bottom line? The movie is good. It's well done. But it could have been less like a fable. Acting all around is good - no performances stand out as substandard. Worth the admission price? Yes, if you can stand having faith force-fed to you.

I read a lot of comments about this movie being a disaster and whatnot - that's simply not true. Is it as good as the first two? No. But it's not like the first two. It's not even *supposed* to be like the first two. This film was originally not even going to be part of The Godfather Trilogy but rather titled "The Death of Michael Corleone."

That having been said, this is a pretty good film. I find that it closes up The Godfather Trilogy quite well, and I feel satisfied after watching it. My only real complaint is Sofia Coppola - ugh. I understand wanting to give your daughter a role, but such an important one? Father's love blinded good taste in choosing someone to take that role. Otherwise, a good film. 8/10

Not the fuss of this being a good movie, but people criticizing it so much. It's criticized for making profit from the holocaust by the same people that loved "Schindler's List." I don't think all the money from that movie was turned over to holocaust survivors... and they say that this movie is making a joke of the holocaust - no it's not. It's simply showing that, even in the worst of situations, hope is a good thing, maybe even the best of things. The reason the movie isn't realistic is because that would make it hard to end on an up-note, no? Yeesh people. Calm down. If you want realism, go get "Schindler's List." If you want a good film to make you smile and even cry, pick up "Life is Beautiful."

I personally thought this to be one of the best films ever made. While maybe *not* worthy of the #1 spot on IMDb, it *is* a fine film and deserves to be credited.

However, I find it disturbing that people would vote a "1" for this film just because they don't think it should be on top. Come on guys - vote what you really feel. There are surely people out there that don't like the film as much as most of us do and will vote it with plenty of 5's and 7's and whatnot, and after time, the placement of this film will fall.

Don't give it a 1 just because you think it's not the best - that cheapens the whole 250. You say you respect it - but you're casting false votes? Ridiculous.

If you haven't seen the film, go check it out - I believe it's well worth anyone's time.

This movie is not for everyone. Young children shouldn't be seeing this movie, and probably no one under the age of 14 or 15. It's VERY intense. There's a great deal of profanity. The movie is so true to reality that it's impossible to distinguish that it's really only a movie (or is it? you decide). The movie has no blood or gore (except for a very small bit of blood that totals no more than 30 seconds of camera time) and no music to lead you to fear - instead, it relies purely on psychological terror and one of humankind's biggest fears - being hunted. My suggestion if you're going to see this movie when it premiers - park your car in a dark, isolated spot. As you're struggling to get back to your car, you'll realize how scary a movie can really be. This movie is no less than excellent. It's put together well and it's unlike any horror movie ever made. Learn as little about it as possible before you go see it, as it will greatly enhance the experience.