The film Pay It Forward, directed by Mimi Leder, follows the journey of a twelve year old boy who seeks to change the world through his idea of pay it forward. The bridge scene in the film uses a range of visual techniques to help the audience understand the power of pay it forward, and the impacts it has on people’s lives. The director’s use of symbolism shows us how pay it forward is slowly changing people's lives, the camera angles show us Jerry's commitment and eagerness to the idea of pay it forward, and the use of dialogue and quotes shows us Jerry’s willingness to make a difference and how grateful he is to Trevor for giving him another chance at life. Through these techniques, Mimi Leder shows in the bridge scene, the power and impact …show more content…
The setting plays an important part in what kind of atmosphere or mood is produced, as it may also reflect a character’s emotional state of mind. Bridges are liminal spaces which mean that they transport people from one place to another. Although they’re open and exposed to the public, and many people are able to witness the lady's suicide attempt, no one else has taken the initiative to stop and help her. The bridge is a representation of the space between two worlds. Since the lady is on the middle of the bridge, it can be interpreted as her trying to escape from the past but not being brave enough to move on fully and work towards a brighter future. The reason as to why the bridge is so significant in this scene, is because it also symbolises Jerry. To the lady, Jerry acts as a bridge to bring her away and help her move on from one dark part of her life to a better and brighter future. This is important because the bridge symbolises the way people live their lives, they stay in one lane and think about themselves only. We tend to avoid involving ourselves in situations which aren't beneficial to us. Leder proves that helping others can be beneficial when Jerry successfully saves the lady and gains a friend in return. This scene has taught me that opening up and letting others help can help you overcome difficulties in your life that you can't deal with