Forrest Gump (1994)
Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline: The world will never be the same once you've seen it through the eyes of Forrest Gump.

Forrest Gump is the movie triumph that became a phenomenon. Tom Hanks gives an astonishing performance as Forrest Gump, an everyman whose simple innocence comes to embody a generation. This acclaimed film from director Robert Zemeckis rocketed to box-office history and touched the hearts of filmgoers like no other movie. Through three turbulent decades, Forrest rides a tide of events that whisks him from physical disability to football stardom, from Vietnam hero to shrimp tycoon, from White House honors to the arms of his one true love. Forrest is the embodiment of an era, an innocent at large in an America that is losing its innocence. His heart knows what his limited IQ cannot. His moral compass never wavers. His triumphs become an inspiration to us all. Winner of 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Tom Hanks) and Best Director (Robert Zemeckis).

Storyline: Forrest Gump is a simple man with a low I.Q. but good intentions. He is running through childhood with his best and only friend Jenny. His 'mama' teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. Forrest joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends called Dan and Bubba, he wins medals, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, starts a ping-pong craze, create the smiley, write bumper stickers and songs, donating to people and meeting the president several times. However, this is all irrelevant to Forrest who can only think of his childhood sweetheart Jenny Curran. Who has messed up her life. Although in the end all he wants to prove is that anyone can love anyone. Written by aliw135

User Comment: Ben Morgan (ben@ringpiece.demon.co.uk) Cardiff, Wales • Surely Forrest Gump must rate as one of the biggest dupes of all time. Quite how the marketeers managed to pass this off as a great film is beyond my powers of reason. Tom Hanks plays the intellectually challenged Gump and picked up his second consecutive Oscar for his over the top portrayal. A spectacular job considering the Academy do not normally fall for the same ploys as the movie going public. Even more spectacular when you consider that Morgan Freeman was nominated for The Shawshank Redemption. Gump was the Best Film winner as well, even though Pulp Fiction AND The Shawshank Redemption were nominated. I would put this film into the same sort of class as the Wonder Years or Dazed and Confused, nice but nothing special. It's little more than a period piece chronicalling American Life across three decades and how it affected one man, namely Mr Gump. The cast is good with Gary Sinise very good as Gump's Vietnam Sergeant. Sally Field is well cast as Gump's mother, beyond that there is not much to redeem Gump, the effects are very nicely added if nothing new and the soundtrack is predictably well chosen given the period of time it covers. For the most part it's too mushy, way too sentimental and just not much above mediocre. In years to come the Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction will be looked upon much more favourably than the over-awarded Forrest Gump.

Summary: A triumph of hype over content

--- JOYA ---

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