Pay It Forwards is the film made in 2000 which can be regarded as a curious illustration of the Oedipus Conflict. Apparently, it is often difficult to define roles in real life settings. Likewise, the film reveals complex relationships between people.
Trevor, a boy of eleven, is obviously a conventional child figure as he is a kid. He is brought up by his mother as she left Trevor’s father who had an alcohol abuse history. Trevor is attached to his mother a lot. Arlene, Trevor’s mother, is the main mother figure in the film. However, being a single parent she sometimes takes a role of a father figure. She tries to set some rules and keep her child away from danger.
However, she is still a conventional mother figure as she tends to comfort Trevor and support him rather than punish him. Ricky, Trevor’s biological father, can hardly be called the father figure as he does not take part in Trevor’s upbringing. Trevor does not see him as an authority. Eugene, Trevor’s teacher, can be regarded as the main father figure in the film. He guides Trevor and sets some rules. He says what is right and wrong.
As for the Oedipus Conflict, it is really specific. The child figure seeks for eros concepts. He desires to obtain independence. The project he starts is the way to show he is independent and he is grown up. He tries to help his mother develop proper relationships with her own mother and with the worthy man, Eugene. He makes decision for grown-ups and this makes him feel a grown-up, i.e. free and independent.
The conflict ends up in a success and a failure, at the same time. On one hand, Trevor’s project has positive results as the chain does work and people help each other. On the other hand, Trevor is killed by a kid when he tries to help a smaller child in a fight. Trevor’s death proves he was not prepared to become independent. Thus, even though the child figure does make the world better, the Oedipus Conflict ends in an unhealthy manner as the kid is killed.