Helen Hunt Filmography Part 11: Pay It Forward

Blue-haired Helen Hunt is back!

…but just briefly in this emotionally exploitive melodrama.

Pay It Forward (aka Trauma Bonding: The Movie) is honestly where I first felt my feelings about Helen Hunt. 

Fifteen years ago, I saw the emotional manipulation and melodrama that this movie serves up with generosity and said “I am here for it”. I ate up the romanticized dysfunction.

I originally thought I’d first seen this movie earlier in my life, but it was in fact 2008. I know this because I actually wrote about it in my journal. And no, I am absolutely not sharing that entry. Just suffice it to say I actually used the term “fallen woman”—God forgive me—but really I was in love.

You may have a hard time finding this movie on streaming services due to Kevin Spacey’s fall from grace. I was able to get a copy at the library, and it was available on Hoopla. You can also purchase it on Amazon if you want. 

Helen Hunt plays Arlene McKinney, a recovering alcoholic single-mom. She is a wonder in platinum blonde, crimp-curled hair and absolutely excessive eye-liner. I love the whole trashy caricature. 

Millenial Side Rant:

In 2000 an alcoholic, single mom, working two jobs as a waitress could afford a single family home. In 2023, single adults with no children, no substance abuse struggles, advanced degrees and good jobs cannot.

Her son Trevor is played by Haley Joel Osment, who had a bit of a moment in the early 2000’s. Trevor is in middle school and his new Social Studies teacher, Mr. Simonet (Kevin Spacey), challenges the class to come up with an idea to change the world. You know, age appropriate assignments.

Trevor has the idea of “paying it forward”, which essentially means you do something incredibly generous for three people, and instead of them repaying you, they have to extend extraordinary generosity to three other people.

Trevor says, affluent people buying coffee for other affluent people behind them in the drive-through doesn’t count.

He starts his project by picking up a homeless drug addict, Jerry (Jim Caviezel) and bringing him home, INTO HIS HOUSE, and eating all the cereal in the place. He then let’s him sleep in the garage. 

She is not happy when she finds him in her garage.

But you can’t shoot white Jesus when he’s fixing your truck.

Trevor also tries to help his mom by setting her up with his teacher. Initially neither one of them is interested in the idea.

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This movie would not work at all if they had cast anyone less talented than Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey. (Yes, he’s a terrible person, but he’s a talented actor).

Even in the midst of the over the top melodrama, they bring real and touching vulnerability to their hurt and damaged characters. They ground each implausibly dramatic and traumatic scenario and every line of on the nose dialogue.

SPOILERS: If you don’t want to know about the bonkers ending to this movie, skip this bit. 

Trevor’s pay it forward idea becomes a movement and he is interviewed at school for a TV spot.

Afterwards in the courtyard at school his friend is being beat up by a trio of bullies. Trevor intervenes and is subsequently knifed. The knife was pretty short and hits him fairly far from any vital organs; nonetheless, four hours later, he dies. 

It is utterly improbable, but again the ridiculousness of it is redeemed by Helen Hunt. Regardless of the implausibility of the circumstances, she reacts with the grief of someone whose devastation is absolute.

The tragedy of losing her only child, especially when all her other relational ties are tenuous at best eviscerates. He was not just her only child, he was the only constant relationship in her life. 

Other things that happen…

Jesus literally saves…

…and Kevin Spacey beats of a child molester.

Oh, the irony.

There are two ways to watch this movie. You can either embrace the roller coaster ride of emotional manipulation and let your tears be jerked. Or you can enjoy the ridiculousness and laugh at the almost farcical parody of melodrama.

Which makes this the perfect movie for both a good laugh or a good cry, which is a rare feat. 

This movie is bonkers, for sure, but I still love it. Against my better judgment and despite its obvious and objective flaws, I still love it.