Forrest Gump

My Grade:  A-

"Life is like a box of chocolates... you never know what you're gonna get."  "Run Forrest, run!"  These are just two of the classic lines that everyone knows from Robert Zemeckis' landmark film, Forrest Gump (1994).  It stands as one of the most awarded films of all time as the winner of six Academy Awards including Best Actor (Tom Hanks), Best Director (Robert Zemeckis), Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay (Eric Roth), and Best Picture.  It was also nominated in seven other categories at the Academy Awards, but didn't take those home.  Forrest Gump is also a film which some people find to be amazing while others hate it.  It seems like most highly awarded films are like that, though.

On the surface, Forrest Gump is about its title character and his involvement in many major historic events.  Gump is a simple man with a huge heart... who loves to run.  Throughout the story, he changes peoples lives, saves lives, makes friends, makes enemies, etc. 

The real story, though, has nothing to do with American history.  It has to do with the only thing he loves more than running... Jenny (Robin Wright).  She is the only person that treats Gump decently when he is a child with braces on his legs.  Then they become best friends and Gump falls in love with her.  Throughout his story, Jenny comes and goes, but is always there in his mind.  He loves her so much that he sticks with her through an abusive father, drug addiction, pornographic modeling, suicidal thoughts, etc.  That is the deepest love you may ever see in film.  She claims he doesn't know what love is... she's wrong.

Being nominated for thirteen Academy Awards and winning six of them doesn't mean that a film is great... but it's certainly a start.  Those awards tend to demonstrate how well a movie is made, not necessarily how engaging and entertaining it is.  Forrest Gump, though, is both well-made and entertaining.

The writing is absolutely incredible.  The story has comedy, romance, action, and loads of heart.  This is not only a testament to Eric Roth (screenwriter), but also to Winston Groom who wrote the novel on which the film is based.  The most impressive thing about the writing is how rich the characters are.  As you watch the film, you feel like you have known these characters for years and years (but, you do actually see years and years of their lives... go figure).

Any review of this film would not be complete without mentioning Tom Hanks' stellar performance as Forrest Gump.  He does it all in this film.  He makes you laugh, makes you cry, gets you pumped up, warms your heart... he's great.  He wouldn't have been able to be so great, though, if it weren't for depth of the character he was given.  That goes back to the writing.

This film is not without its problems, though.  There are a few minor characters that don't work all that well, it is a bit too long, and it even gets a little too sentimental at times which fools some people into thinking it is better than it really is.  Overall, it is a wonderful, feel good film that ultimately doesn't take a lot of chances but works very well.