Forrest Gump

Tom Hanks' superb performance as the loveable Forrest Gump earned him his well-deserved second Oscar for Best Actor. (He had previously won the Oscar for Best Actor for the 1993 film "Philadelphia", and has been nominated three other times.) Robert Zemeckis also earned the Oscar for Best Director, and the film itself won the Oscar for Best Picture as well as three other Oscars for Best Visual Effects, Best Editing and Best Writing. Gary Sinise earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, in addition to six other Oscar nominations that included Best Cinematography, Best Music and Best Sound. Part of what "Forrest Gump" so endearing was Zemeckis' use of superimposing actors into actual, historical film footage. This footage included the late Pres. John F. Kennedy, the late John Lennon, the late Pres. Richard M. Nixon, and the late former Alabama Gov. George Wallace to name a few. (Robert Zemeckis used this same archival footage technique again in the 1997 film "Contact".) Other memorable characters in the film include school bus driver Dorothy Harris (Siobhan Fallon), Bubba's mother (Marlena Smalls), Abbie Hoffman (Richard D'Alessandro) and Forrest Gump Jr. (Haley Joel Osment).

Some of the many memorable scenes in the film include the opening scenes, running with leg braces, running across the football field during practice, scenes at the University of Alabama, boot camp, Vietnam, D.C., NYC, the shrimping boat, running across America, and the scenes with Jenny (both as child and adult). I regard "Forrest Gump" as one of the best films ever made and rate it with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars. It's the kind of film that draws the viewer into its story and keeps the viewer engaged throughout its 142 minutes. I highly recommend the DVD version of the film to everyone, and the second DVD is good with its various documentaries and other material. Tom Hanks went on to star in many more memorable film roles, including his roles in "Apollo 13" (1995), "Saving Private Ryan" (1998), "The Green Mile" (1999) and "Cast Away" (2000) to name a few. Unfortunately, many of Gary Sinise's film roles that followed have been far less memorable.


Forrest Gump is a magical, moving, and funny film   January 13, 2000
Eric (Tennessee)
46 out of 55 found this review helpful

1994 featured the two most interesting central characters to ever grace the silver screen. They were Andy Dufresne (The Shawshank Redemption) and Forrest Gump, played respectively by Tim Robbins and Tom Hanks. Both films from which the characters originate I consider to be in the top five best movies of all time and it's the actors that makes the characters come to life that makes the films so magnificent.

Forrest Gump is a drama and a comedy. It tells the tale of a mildly retarded man who becomes involved accidentally in the biggest events of the sixties, seventies, and eighties. All throughout his life since he was a child, Forrest has been in love with a girl named Jenny (Robin Wright Penn). However, she refuses him only because she loves him too much and doesn't want to hurt him.

Underrated by audiences, Forrest Gump is simply an amazing film. I was surprised by how hilarious and moving it was. The film generates many big laughs that involve how Forrest initiated and inspired many events in recent history such as how he was the one who taught Elvis Presley to dance and the time he unknowingly ratted on the Plumbers of Watergate.

The performances are what make this film memorable. Tom Hanks gives one of the best leading performances of the decade (and possibly of all time). Coming in almost as good is Gary Sinise as the misanthropic lieutenant whose life is changed after becoming involved with Forrest in the shrimp business. The supporting cast which consists of Wright Penn, Sally Field, Mykelti Williamson, and Haley Joel Osment (of Sixth Sense fame) also deliver good performances.

Forrest Gump is a great film that has to be seen to be believed. Cynics might find some problems with this film but they would just be missing the entire point. This is essentially a film about how the most innocent and kind person on Earth has a low IQ and how he views the world. His journey is simply breathtaking.


Message of the film: Follow Orders   September 4, 2001
28 out of 49 found this review helpful

If you fall in line, follow orders, and follow the rules of society no matter what your mental limitations are, you will be successful (to a certain extent). If you think, question authority, question reality, question society, and live for yourself; you are irresponsible and will fall down a spiral and die of a terrible debilitating disease.
That is either a sad message to send to the world, or the writers of the film are making sardonically poetic commentary (but I really don't give them that much credit). Are Baby Boomers done patting themselves on the back yet?


Human fallacy   May 29, 2001
Maek (Phoenix, AZ United States)
25 out of 78 found this review helpful

You know, it is a sweet, endearing movie and yet at the same time it kicks us while we're down.

It seems that all of the characters that have fallen on hard times due to the bad decisions that they make SHOULD be pitied because quite frankly, Forrest Gump NEVER should be.

What am I driving at?

Let's face it--this movie is not a triumph of human will over adversity. All of Gump's successes and triumphs are more about circumstance than actual effort. Case in point: Gump's shrimp outfit soars...only because every other shrimping vessel was laid waste while his ship miraculously survived. Is this something that we should applaud--Gump's triumph over the misfortune of others? Like I said, it's hard to find a story likeable about someone who doesn't know any better succeeding where other WHO DO TRY fail...and fail miserably. That's not to say that those who failed didn't deserve to. Jenny is an example of that, but for crying out loud, she was REAL in her intentions and decisions.

I don't think the film deserves the same amount of success that Gump himself experiences. Hanks is a brilliant actor and this film is no exception...but if life is a box of chocolates, then this film is a 10-year old nougat left in a puddle on the road.