Réalisation:
Mimi LederScénario:
Leslie DixonPhotographie:
Oliver StapletonMusique:
Thomas NewmanActeurs·trices:
Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment, Jay Mohr, James Caviezel, Jon Bon Jovi, Angie Dickinson, David Ramsey, Colleen Flynn, Marc Donato (plus)Résumés(1)
Une nouvelle année scolaire commence pour Trevor McKinney, un garçon de douze ans, une année qui ne ressemblera à aucune autre et changera peut-être la vie de milliers d'hommes. Le jour de la rentrée, Trevor reçoit de la part de son professeur Eugene Simonet un sujet de devoir pour le moins inhabituel: trouver une solution pour rendre le monde meilleur et la mettre en pratique. Plus mûr, plus sensible que ses camarades, Trevor prend très au sérieux ce devoir. Il suggère d'aider de façon désintéressée trois personnes qui deviendront ses obligées, et chacune d'entre elles devra passer le relais à trois inconnus qui en feront de même à leur tour. On ne peut pas changer le monde à douze ans, mais on peut tenter de redonner espoir à son entourage: une mère déboussolée, un professeur solitaire et un SDF sont des cobayes de rêve pour un garçon inventif, généreux, en manque d'affection. (texte officiel du distributeur)
(plus)Critiques (6)
When I turned on the TV in the morning they were showing Pay It Forward, credits flashing with the sonorous names of Helen Hunt, Kevin Spacey and Haley Joel Osment, and when I discovered that the film's music was composed by my favourite Thomas Newman, I didn't hesitate to stay in front of the telly. Admittedly, this is a typical "emotion machine movie", but it was delivered so nicely and enjoyably that it stroked the soul and warmed the heart. In short, an above-average family film about one little boy's "unworkable" plan that benefits especially from the performances and the wonderful musical score.
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The actors were great, but the screenwriter must have had an internship in a Venezuelan TV studio. Pay It Forward could have been a nice film with a positive message, but the monstrous, emotional blackmail of the ending made it typical Hollywood crap, good only for drooling over the tears of leftover popcorn on the laps of soap opera fans.
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Irritating cynicism that goes hand in hand with shallowness that has no equal. Not even the actors can pull it off. Although... actually it's hard to judge, because with one bright exception they don't act much anyway.
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Upon the second viewing, I couldn't help but wonder if the director didn't just make up the shocking twist ending to add a more emotional and fateful touch to her otherwise serious romantic story. However, since I really enjoy Kevin Spacey in this civil role and I enjoy being emotionally squeezed, I have no complaints and fondly remember this aspect. This is greatly aided by the excellent music by Thomas Newman, which adds a beautifully nostalgic touch of lost memories to the film.
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The hard-hitting dialogues unfortunately do not make up for the insanely sentimental backbone of the film, which is cynical to the point of woe. The characters are flat and simple, everything is superficial without any believability or realism. Throughout the film, Mimi Leder presents us with a fairytale story about a good boy, whose final act forces the viewer to shed a tear. I can imagine the sweaty director behind the camera trying to shoot some scenes with the highest possible dose of tearfulness, that's how it looks according to the final product. It's not completely bad and the script initially has a relatively interesting storyline. Unfortunately, it becomes increasingly clichéd and tearjerking. About eighty percent insincere.
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Annonces