Movies like Pay It Forward
If you like "Pay It Forward" you are looking for touching, inspirational and emotional movies about / with teacher, childhood, single parent, life philosophy, death, boy and good deed themes of Drama genre shot in USA.
Find your next favorite and similar movies in two steps:
1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below).
2. Look for them in the presented list.
Pay It Forward (2000)
128K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
Like some other kids, 12-year-old Trevor McKinney believed in the goodness of human nature. Like many other kids, he was determined to change the world for the better. Unlike most other kids, he succeeded.
Style:
touching, inspirational, emotional, motivational, sentimental, sincere, uplifting, tear jerker, thought provoking, spiritual ...
Audience:
chick flick, kids, teens, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
teacher, childhood, single parent, life philosophy, death, boy, good deed, disfigurement, addiction, abusive husband, teacher student relationship, childhood trauma, grief, bully, teachers and students, youth, generosity, kindness, single mother, parents and children, help, heartwarming, drug addiction, alcoholic, school ...
Time:
year 2000, 90s, 20th century
Place:
tibet, usa, nevada, las vegas
Movie in categories
Most similar movies to Pay It Forward
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out touching, realistic, feel good and sentimental films with plots about mentor, coming of age, friendship, redemption, destiny, life philosophy and storytelling mostly in Drama, Biography and Family genres. Some movies like Pay It Forward: Akeelah and the Bee (2006), The Man Without a Face (1993), Boyhood (2014), Philadelphia (1993), Half Nelson (2006). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
Eleven year-old Akeelah Anderson's life is not easy: her father is dead, her mom ignores her, her brother runs with the local gangbangers. She's smart, but her environment threatens to strangle her aspirations. Responding to a threat by ...
Style:
touching, independent film, emotional, sentimental, sweet ...
Audience:
family outing, kids, family friendly, toddlers, teens ...
Plot:
african american, coming of age, self esteem, child prodigy, hopes, female protagonist, teacher, prodigy, teachers and students, elementary school, mentor, black ...
Time:
year 2006, 21st century
Place:
los angeles, washington d.c., america, south central los angeles, usa ...
Similarity:
91%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
The story of a relationship between a teacher and his troubled pupil. Justin McLeod is a former teacher who lives as a recluse on the edge of town. His face is disfigured from an automobile accident and fire ten years before in which a boy was ...
Style:
touching, inspirational, sincere, realistic, melancholic ...
Audience:
kids, girls' night
Plot:
coming of age, mentor, teacher, friendship, injustice, social misfits, teaching the ways of the world, false accusation, teaching, boyhood, disfigurement, children ...
Time:
60s, year 1993, 20th century
Place:
maine, usa
Similarity:
86%
380K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 165 min.
Story:
The film tells a story of a divorced couple trying to raise their young son. The story follows the boy for twelve years, from first grade at age 6 through 12th grade at age 17-18, and examines his relationship with his parents as he grows.
Style:
philosophical, melancholic, cerebral, touching, depressing ...
Audience:
teens, kids, chick flick, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
coming of age, childhood, teenager, high school, adolescence, domestic abuse, family drama, youth, divorced parents, stepsister stepsister relationship, relationships, marriage ...
Time:
2010s, year 2014, 2000s, 90s, near future ...
Place:
texas, ethiopia, houston texas, austin texas, usa
Similarity:
100%
272K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 125 min.
Story:
No one would take his case until one man was willing to take on the system. Two competing lawyers join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their unlikely friendship develops their courage overcomes the prejudice and ...
Style:
touching, thought provoking, emotional, sad, tear jerker ...
Audience:
girls' night
Plot:
aids, courtroom drama, hiv, lawyer, gay, lgbt, lgbtq, discrimination, gay interest, homosexual, lawsuit, medical ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, year 1993, 80s
Place:
pennsylvania, usa, philadelphia
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
Despite his dedication to the junior-high students who fill his classroom, idealistic teacher Dan Dunne leads a secret life of addiction that the majority of his students will never know. But things change when a troubled student Drey makes a ...
Style:
depressing, independent film, emotional, talky, inspirational ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama
Plot:
teacher, drug addiction, teachers and students, drug, loneliness, addiction, drug abuse, friendship, student, ghetto, school, existentialism ...
Time:
year 2006, future, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
new york, usa, brooklyn new york city, california
Similarity:
86%
157K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
Frank, a single man raising his child prodigy niece Mary, is drawn into a custody battle with his mother.
Style:
inspirational, touching, emotional, sweet, light ...
Audience:
kids, teens, chick flick, family friendly, girls' night
Plot:
mathematics, genius, child prodigy, childhood, friendship, trial, school, child custody, happiness, children, teacher, father daughter relationship ...
Time:
year 2017, 2010s, year 1998
Place:
persia, boston, florida, california
Similarity:
80%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min.
Story:
Dede is a sole parent trying to bring up her son Fred. When it is discovered that Fred is a genius, she is determined to ensure that Fred has all the opportunities that he needs, and that he is not taken advantage of by people who forget that his ...
Style:
inspirational, intellectual, realistic, psychological, touching ...
Audience:
kids, family outing
Plot:
prodigy, child prodigy, coming of age, mathematics, single mother, single parent, genius, child genius, children, friendship, psychology, mentor ...
Time:
year 1991, 20th century, 90s
Place:
ohio, usa
Similarity:
100%
111K
Genre: Biography, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
Based on the true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes, and eventually became a NASA scientist.
Style:
inspirational, touching, realistic, sentimental, feel good ...
Audience:
teens, kids, family outing, date night, teen drama
Plot:
friendship, small town, teacher, follow your dream, teenage life, against the odds, competition, mathematics, generation gap, scientist, biopic, nerd ...
Time:
1950s, 50s, year 1957, year 1999, 90s ...
Place:
west virginia, virginia, usa, indianapolis indiana, appalachia ...
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 129 min.
Story:
Oversized African-American, Michael Oher, the teen from across the tracks and a broken home, has nowhere to sleep at age 16. Taken in by an affluent Memphis couple, Michael embarks on a remarkable rise to play for the NFL.
Style:
touching, inspirational, sentimental, emotional, motivational ...
Audience:
chick flick, family outing, teens, kids, family friendly ...
Plot:
american football, adoption, life, african american, football, christian, interracial relations, human spirit, family drama, rising to stardom, interracial adoption, strong female character ...
Time:
year 2009, 20th century, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
usa, boston, tennessee, america, mississippi ...
Similarity:
80%
2.5M
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 142 min.
Story:
A man with a low IQ has accomplished great things in his life and been present during significant historic events - in each case, far exceeding what anyone imagined he could do. Yet, despite all the things he has attained, his one true love eludes ...
Style:
inspirational, touching, feel good, sentimental, uplifting ...
Audience:
girls' night, date night, chick flick, kids, teens ...
Plot:
life philosophy, philosophy, life, mentally challenged, destiny, storytelling, love, rise to the top, human spirit, selflessness, vietnam war, life & death ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, 50s, 60s, 1950s ...
Place:
china, alabama, vietnam, america, savannah georgia ...
Similarity:
76%
Genre: Drama, Sport
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 136 min.
Story:
Gus van Sant tells the story of a young African American man named Jamal who confronts his talents while living on the streets of the Bronx. He accidentally runs into an old writer named Forrester who discovers his passion for writing. With help ...
Style:
feel good, sentimental, touching, sincere, inspirational ...
Audience:
teens, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
mentor, literature, dedicated educator, coming of age, prejudice, genius, basketball, writers, teacher, african american, prodigy, intergenerational friendship ...
Time:
year 2000, 90s, 20th century
Place:
new york, brooklyn new york city, scotland, usa, bronx new york city ...
Similarity:
80%
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 126 min.
Story:
Will Hunting has a genius-level IQ but chooses to work as a janitor at MIT. When he solves a difficult graduate-level math problem, his talents are discovered by Professor Gerald Lambeau, who decides to help the misguided youth reach his potential. ...
Style:
psychological, philosophical, emotional, sentimental, intellectual ...
Audience:
girls' night, teens, chick flick, family friendly, date night ...
Plot:
mathematics, genius, professor, prodigy, life, life philosophy, psychology, philosophy, mentor, psychotherapy, university, life lesson ...
Time:
year 1997, 20th century, 90s, 2010s
Place:
boston, harvard university, america, persia, massachusetts ...
Similarity:
75%
195K
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: USA, Hong Kong, Canada
Duration: 113 min.
Story:
The story of August Pullman – a boy with facial differences – who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.
Style:
inspirational, touching, uplifting, sincere, thought provoking ...
Audience:
kids, family outing, teens, family friendly
Plot:
bullying, friendship, school, child, happy ending, middle school, truancy, deformity, family relations, father son relationship, science teacher, disability ...
Time:
year 2017, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
coney island brooklyn new york city, new york, manhattan new york city, pennsylvania
Similarity:
75%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
Three pre-adolescents with virginal and eager-of-signals naivety, hit headlong against monstrous and inhospitable loneliness, in the incandescent fire among the ashes of their own inocence.
Style:
emotional, touching, sad, heartbreaking, sentimental ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
coming of age, childhood, friendship, teenager, children, vengeance, dysfunctional family, family relations, loss of son, family problems, family in crisis, death in the family ...
Time:
year 2005
Place:
new jersey
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min.
Story:
"Front of the Class" is based on the true story of Brad Cohen -- played in the movie by Jimmy Wolk -- who, "after being challenged by Tourette's syndrome from a very young age, defies all odds to become a gifted teacher
Style:
touching, inspirational, sentimental, emotional, sweet ...
Audience:
family outing, teens, girls' night
Plot:
teacher, tourette's syndrome, dedicated educator, social misfits, teachers and students, school, disability, life philosophy, honest, friendship, father son relationship, understanding ...
Time:
80s, 21st century
Place:
louisiana, usa, atlanta georgia, england
Similarity:
80%
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: France, Switzerland, Germany
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
Set in 1940's France, a new teacher at a school for disruptive boys gives hope and inspiration.
Style:
touching, inspirational, uplifting, feel good, sentimental ...
Audience:
kids, teens, teen drama
Plot:
boarding school, teacher, childhood, music, teachers and students, abuse, musician, children, boarding school life, friendship, boss, orphan ...
Time:
1940s, 20th century, year 2004
Place:
france, new york, switzerland, europe, paris france ...
Similarity:
75%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
A leukemia patient attempts to end a 20-year feud with her sister to get her bone marrow.
Style:
emotional, touching, sentimental, realistic, semi serious ...
Audience:
girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
terminal illness, dysfunctional family, estrangement, leukemia, family drama, father daughter relationship, family problems, single parent, siblings relations, sibling relationship, unfulfillment, life is a bitch ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, year 1996
Place:
florida, usa, ohio, orlando florida
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 118 min.
Story:
Gilbert has to care for his brother Arnie and his obese mother, which gets in the way when love walks into his life.
Style:
melancholic, depressing, touching, sad, emotional ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, teen drama
Plot:
dysfunctional family, disability, small town, mentally challenged, mental illness, self discovery, responsibility, brothers, character study, coming of age, life philosophy, life & death ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, year 1993, 70s, 60s
Place:
iowa, texas, southern usa, usa
Similarity:
75%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
William Hundert is a passionate and principled Classics professor who finds his tightly-controlled world shaken and inexorably altered when a new student, Sedgewick Bell, walks into his classroom. What begins as a fierce battle of wills gives way to ...
Style:
inspirational, realistic, touching, contemplative, emotional ...
Audience:
kids, teens, girls' night
Plot:
teacher, dedicated educator, coming of age, boarding school life, ethics, school teacher, schoolboy, boarding school, teachers and students, youth, hardcase students, boys' school ...
Time:
20th century, year 2002, 70s, 2000s, future
Place:
washington d.c., pennsylvania, new jersey
Similarity:
75%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 125 min.
Story:
When a man is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he takes custody of his misanthropic teenage son, for whom quality time means getting high, engaging in small-time prostitution, and avoiding his father.
Style:
touching, emotional, sentimental, sincere, sad ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
terminal illness, dying, father son relationship, relationships, cancer, dysfunctional family, reconciliation, illness, divorce, hopes, fighting illness, destiny ...
Time:
year 2001
Place:
california, usa
Similarity:
100%
325K
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
An IRS agent with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.
Style:
touching, sad, emotional, philosophical, sentimental ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick
Plot:
redemption, depression, life philosophy, self sacrifice, life changing experience, motivation, true love, sacrifice, existentialism, life & death, melancholy, love ...
Time:
year 2008, 21st century
Place:
usa
Similarity:
67%
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
A young teacher inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school.
Style:
inspirational, touching, feel good, sentimental, rough ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, girls' night, kids, teen drama ...
Plot:
high school, teacher, dedicated educator, teachers and students, lifestyle change, racism, teenage life, strong female lead, mentor, school teacher, bonding, idealism ...
Time:
year 2007, 20th century, year 1961, year 1999, year 2006 ...
Place:
california, los angeles, long beach california, usa
Similarity:
75%
679K
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
An epic love story centered around an older man who reads aloud to a woman with Alzheimer's. From a faded notebook, the old man's words bring to life the story about a couple who is separated by World War II, and is then passionately ...
Style:
touching, romantic, emotional, sentimental, sweet ...
Audience:
chick flick, date night, girls' night, teens, adult
Plot:
love story, love, love and romance, fall in love, true love, rich woman poor man, youth, forbidden love, power of love, love of one's life, young lovers, love triangle ...
Time:
1940s, year 2004, post world war two, year 1941, 50s ...
Place:
north carolina, charleston south carolina, southern usa, iran, usa ...
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story:
A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional career.
Style:
inspirational, emotional, sentimental, uplifting, motivational ...
Audience:
family outing, chick flick, teens, family friendly
Plot:
homeless, life, human spirit, rags to riches, life philosophy, success, single father, poverty, rise to the top, family drama, life is a bitch, biopic ...
Time:
80s, year 2006, 2010s, 20th century
Place:
usa, california, bay area, san francisco, america
Similarity:
60%
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: Ireland, UK, USA
Duration: 145 min.
Story:
Based on the best selling autobiography by Irish expat Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes follows the experiences of young Frankie and his family as they try against all odds to escape the poverty endemic in the slums of pre-war Limerick. The film ...
Style:
sad, touching, depressing, compassionate, serious ...
Audience:
toddlers, teen drama
Plot:
poverty, ira, injustice, parents and children, youth, family relations, depression, life is a bitch, death, children, rich and poor, human nature ...
Time:
1940s, year 1999, 90s, 1930s, 20th century ...
Place:
ireland, new york, brooklyn new york city, europe, usa ...
Similarity:
100%
482K
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min.
Story:
After the death of a friend, a writer recounts a boyhood journey to find the body of a missing boy.
Style:
sentimental, cult classic, atmospheric, emotional, feel good ...
Audience:
teens, girls' night, family outing, kids, teen drama ...
Plot:
childhood, friendship, coming of age, stephen king, teenager, boy, children, youth, summer, friends, courage, on the road ...
Time:
1950s, 50s, 20th century, year 1986, year 1959 ...
Place:
oregon, usa, normandy
Similarity:
100%
102K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story:
A man who lost his family in the September 11 attack on New York City runs into his old college roommate. Rekindling the friendship is the one thing that appears able to help the man recover from his grief.
Style:
inspirational, touching, depressing, sincere, heartbreaking ...
Audience:
chick flick
Plot:
friendship, grief, 9/11, mental disorder, dealing with death, mental health, trauma, character study, therapy, mental illness, tragic event, friends ...
Time:
september 11 2001, year 2007, 21st century
Place:
usa, new york, manhattan new york city
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
Amidst her own personality crisis, southern housewife Evelyn Couch meets Ninny, an outgoing old woman who tells her the story of Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison, two young women who experienced hardships and love in Whistle Stop, Alabama in the ...
Style:
feel good, sentimental, captivating, touching, sad ...
Audience:
girls' night, chick flick, kids, teen drama
Plot:
small town, friendship, lesbian, feminism, self discovery, feminist, small town life, lgbtq, cannibalism, midlife crisis, female bonding, female protagonist ...
Time:
1920s, 1930s, 90s, year 1991, 20th century ...
Place:
alabama, southern usa, usa, georgia, louisiana ...
Similarity:
67%
32K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min.
Story:
Freshman high-school student Melinda has refused to speak ever since she called the cops on a popular summer party. With her old friends snubbing her for being a rat, and her parents too busy to notice her troubles, she folds into herself, trying to ...
Style:
touching, psychological, independent film, sad, sincere ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
high school, teenage girl, rape, bullying, youth, rape victim, school, teenage life, innocence lost, teenager, unsupportive friend, high school life ...
Time:
2000s, 21st century
Place:
columbus ohio, usa
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
At an elite, old-fashioned boarding school in New England, a passionate English teacher inspires his students to rebel against convention and seize the potential of every day, courting the disdain of the stern headmaster.
Style:
philosophical, inspirational, sentimental, uplifting, touching ...
Audience:
teens, family friendly, kids, family outing, girls' night ...
Plot:
teacher, suicide, poetry, coming of age, poet, mentor, teenager, literature, teachers and students, friendship, philosophy, dedicated educator ...
Time:
50s, 1950s, 20th century, year 1989, year 1959
Place:
vermont, new england, usa, harvard university
Similarity:
50%
Related movie lists
