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Pay It Forward, the seventh year

Author: Fair
Date: 10-20-07 14:14

"That's me...
and that's three people...
and I'm going to help them."

Seven years ago today a small unassuming film with a very big heart, lead by a small unassuming young actor with a very big heart, was first released to embrace the world. You will notice I said that the film was released to embrace the world, and not for the world to embrace it, because this film had a big idea that it wanted to share. It takes a very big heart to stand in the face of a very cynical world and think that whatever you have to offer will be anything more than a drop in a bucket, but when the heart of the film is so much like the heart of the amazing young actor leading it, then anything becomes possible. Because this film embraced the world with a big idea, and that message was essayed with such heartfelt clarity and compassion by the only young actor capable of being open and honest enough to break down the walls of cynicism to relay such a simple message, the world was then able to embrace the pay it forward movement.

It is all well and good for me to say these things, but some might wonder if I am not using a bit of artistic license, or perhaps even just waxing poetic about a seven year old film... so let's let the words of that incredible young actor speak for his personal experience with the effect the film has had in the seven years since it was released, (with many thanks and much respect to homeofthegiants.com for the recent and amazing Haley Joel Osment interview that made it possible for information like this to be revealed):

Quote:

Haley Joel Osment:
"It is very inspiring to continually hear about the positive things that film has helped to create. I think Pay It Forward might be a film that I hear almost the most vignettes about from people in public. When I speak to people at events or just out in public sometimes, that's a film I hear almost constantly, because I think it's something that really touched people who saw that film, and this is the reason for me wanting to do that film, because I thought that it was important for people to see. Film is a unique marriage of art and entertainment, and that film had a compelling story that's artistic merit would inspire people to take stock of themselves and their own lives, and whatever good that film has done was very rewarding for me to have done it for."

17-July-2007

There is no artistic license used in those words, but are simply his open and honest experiences that resulted from this one unassuming film. With everything that Haley Joel Osment has achieved, the many laurels and accolades, Pay It Forward remains the film that many are able to identify with the most. Because Haley has such a kind and wonderful heart himself, it is almost poetic that most want to share their Pay It Forward experience with him at every encounter.

Such a grand testament to the film and the power of the big idea to be revealed seven years later. To have this film be so remembered when it is bookended by two other amazing films from Haley's incredible filmography speaks highly of the importance of the message, and the true depth of his performance. Trevor McKinney was not just one of many random characters in many altruistic films, his was a character that we deeply cared about. If an idea like pay it forward was important to him, then Haley's performance made us care enough that it became important to us. There is no greater compliment to him or to the film than for us to take the idea of pay it forward into our own hearts and apply it in the real world.

That is what Pay It Forward has achieved, and the legacy it leaves, in the seven years since it was released. Although I could write pages devoted to the endearing influence of that legacy, Haley's few words encapsulate everything that needs to be said on this seventh anniversary... and that is a far greater tribute than anything I could ever hope to say. Thanks Haley for giving us such an everlasting character with a spirit that will forever reside in our hearts.