This is the first movie I've seen in three weeks so we'll see if I remember how to write a review. Pay It Forward was released this weekend, a drama starring Kevin Spacey, Haley Joel Osment and Helen Hunt. It's a movie with a message, several messages really, but one main message. The plot would be relatively predictable but the subplots hide the main plot well so you do have to pay attention. Still, there were a few shortcomings to the movie. All in all it's a nice one to watch.

We start out with Chris Chandler (Jay Mohr), a reporter in Los Angeles (or some other West Coast city). Chris is having a bad night. He drives over to some sort of domestic dispute, police everywhere. The gunman smashes out of the garage with an SUV and slams into Chris' car, totalling it. The police drive away in hot pursuit, leaving Chris out there by himself in the dead of night as it starts to rain heavily.

But, out of the darkness comes an elderly gentleman. Some sort of well-dressed businessman walking his big dog. He asks Chris if he needs help and eventually offers Chris his Jaguar. As the man walks away Chris is left to thinking about what just happened, and the man's cryptic words, something about "paying it forward". Since he's a reporter he decides to dig deeper into this story.

Meanwhile, four months back, it's the start of 7th grade for the students at a Las Vegas middle school. Young Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment), some sort of prodigy at age 11, is at Social Studies class. Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey) surprises the class as he turns from the blackboard to show the class his somewhat ruined face, obviously old burn scars.

Simonet has an extra-credit project for his students: come up with a plan to change the world, then implement it. Most of the students blow it off, some do things like recycling or cleaning up graffiti or helping out at the library. But not Trevor, he comes up with an idea. He will help three people, really help them in ways that they can't help themselves. Instead of having them pay it back (it being the help he gave), he wants them to pay it forward, hence the name of the movie.

The third main character is Trevor's mother, Arlene (Helen Hunt). A night club waitress and alcoholic, she tries to make ends meet and take care of her son after her husband left her. The main plot of the movie is Trevor trying to implement his Pay It Forward campaign by helping three people. One of those people is Eugene, who he wants to set up with his mom, and that's another main plot of the movie. Meanwhile we flash forward to Chris as he tracks down people and tries to find the person who started Pay It Forward.

What did I like about the movie? It has a good plot and acting. Haley Joel Osment can act without annoying the hell out of me (child prodigies tend to do that for some reason). Helen Hunt also does a good job as a mother who is just shy of drowning in the sea of responsibilities that is motherhood. Kevin Spacey of course is always good.

What I didn't like about this movie. The basic idea of Pay It Forward, the concept itself, is rather naive. It's a good thing an 11-year old came up with this otherwise I would have barfed. There is also one thread where the first person Trevor helps goes on to do some things but it never ties back to the rest of the story, other than maybe a one line news report towards the end of the movie.

So, it's a good drama. The kind of movie that could be up for an Academy Award next year. And that's about as much as I can say without spoiling it. It's a rather serious movie so don't go see it if you want light entertainment. Other than that I'd have to say it's well worth watching.