Forrest Gump
Movie Title: Forrest Gump
Description: The title character leads viewers through an accidental travelogue of American social history from the early 1960s through the present in this revisionist fable. Vietnam, desegregation, Watergate, and more are presented from the perspective of Tom Hanks's loveably slow-witted Forrest Gump as he finds himself embroiled in situations he can't quite comprehend. Hanks leads an excellent cast, featuring Robin Wright Penn as Jenny, Forrest's lifelong love Gary Sinise as the irascible Lt. Dan, his Vietnam superior Mykelti Williamson as Bubba, a shrimp-loving soldier and Sally Fields as his devoted mother. Robert Zemeckis's emotional, heartwarming film garnered 13 Academy Award nominations and six wins, including Best Picture, Director, Actor--Tom Hanks, and Adapted Screenplay.
Critics Reviews | |
| Austin Chronicle, Robert Faires "The sentiment flows freely here but not cheaply..." | B+ |
| BBC, Ben Falk "Whether you like it or not really comes down to one thing: how much sentimentality can you take?" | B+ |
| Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert "What a magical movie." | A |
| filmcritic.com, Christopher Null "... fresh and smile-provoking, but boy if it isn't a sickly sweet experience." | B+ |
Staff Reviews
It's a twilight zone film for Zemeckis who was fairly know for his Back to the Future films. Forrest Gump proved that he is much more than just an 'effects' director. He won the Academy Award for this film and very rightly so.
Tom Hanks won most of the 'best actor' awards for the film, be it BAFTA, Academy Award or Golden Globe. The filmed marked the coming of age for the actor of Big and Philadelphia. Forrest Gump must have been an influencing factor for the casting of Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan.
The film is a narrative story. Forrest Gump narrates it while sitting at a Georgia bus stop. Listeners change while Gump narrates his life to them. One of the most interesting part of this narration to various different people is variety of reaction Gump gets from all those people.
Forrest Gump is a simple person with lower than average intellect. He gets by his life beautifully by following advices; especially from his 'mamma' and his 'drill sergeant'. This dialogue pretty much summarise his life in the film- 'My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."
Another one that exemplifies the simplicity of his life is:-
Drill Sergeant: Gump! What's your sole purpose in this army?
Forrest Gump: To do whatever you tell me, drill sergeant!
Drill Sergeant: God damn it, Gump! You're a god damn genius! This is the most outstanding answer I have ever heard. You must have a goddamn I.Q. of 160. You are goddamn gifted, Private Gump. Listen up, people...