Promotional Lines: "The world will never
be the same once you've seen it through the eyes of Forrest Gump."
"Life is like a box of chocolates... you
never know what you're gonna get." "Stupid is as stupid
does."
This film won the Oscar for Best Picture for 1994.
Under the gifted direction of Robert Zemeckis, this brilliant,
poignant, well-paced, powerful film tells the moving tale of a
mildly retarded boy, Forrest Gump (Michael Conner Humphreys &
Tom Hanks), raised by his loving, devoted but unconventional mother,
who grows up and manages to go everywhere, and meet everyone,
including Elvis Presley, JFK, and John Lennon. Gump sees the world
through three strong forces in his life; God, his mother, and
Jenny, who was his life long friend, whom he dearly loved.
The film starts off with Forrest's childhood,
his experiences he went through, how he met Jenny, how he got
into college, his experiences in the Army in Viet Nam, and his
adventures after he came home. As he goes through his life,
he accidentally has experiences with famous people, and experiences
famous moments in history. His true love, Jenny, comes in and
out of his life, as she tries to overcome the scars of her traumatic
childhood home life with an alcoholic father, with despicable
habits.
The moving script, by Eric Roth, was adapted
from the novel by Winston Groom. Throughout the movie, the script
ponders the question: Are the events / occurrences in one's
life just an accident, like a feather in the wind, or are they
the result of personal destiny? Or, does one make his/her own
destiny, using what God gave each person?
Hanks gives a wonderful performance as the unworldly Gump. He
has a sweetness, and a simple honesty that's hard to resist.
"His heart knows what his limited IQ cannot. His moral
compass never wavers." Hanks won the best actor Oscar for
his performance.
In addition to Hanks amazing performance, he
gets great support from the other players.
Robin Wright plays the emotionally troubled
Jenny, who as a child, (played by Hannah Miller) was described
as having "the sweetest voice in the whole world."
Robin and Tom had terrific screen chemistry,
getting a lot of mileage out of the material written in this
fine screenplay, by Eric Roth. They provide the audience with
fine, dramatic moments in the story. My favorite sequence of
scenes starts when they unexpectedly run into each other in
Washington D.C., in a most creative way.
Gary Sinise is a revelation as Gump's Vietnam
era superior officer, and friend, Lieutenant Dan Taylor, who
goes through a variety changes as the war and life in general
throws trials and obstacles in his life.
Mykelti Williamson is endearing as Hanks' shrimp
obsessed, Army buddy, Benjamin "Bubba" Bufford-Blue
who asks Forrest to be his business partner, after they get
back to the states, when their tour of duty is over. Unfortunately,
he dies in Forrest's arms, but Forrest doesn't forget their
partnership plans, and carries on down the road.
Sally Field excels as Hanks loving mother, determined
that he be treated like anyone else, so he would reach his full
potential."You have to do the best with what God gave you."
Because of her efforts, and her guidance Forrest does wind up
using what God did give him, to the best of his ability.
The film's soundtrack is wonderful. It's like
an audio trip through some of the best loved music of the '60's
and '70's.
My favorite scene takes place in Forrest's childhood. Forrest
is in leg braces. Pursued by bullies, and urged on by his girl
pal, Jenny, (Hannah Mill), Forrest runs as fast as he can. As
he runs, in slow motion, his leg braces fall off. Freed of his
restraints, Forrest streaks away, outdistancing his pursuers.
The scene is a wonderful, uplifting, damp-eyed movie moment.
The film is a future classic because of the way it looks at
the tumultuous '60's and '70's, with laughs and a few tears,
through the eyes of an innocent. You don't have to have lived
through these times, personally, to enjoy this movie, but it
certainly enhances the viewing experience.
Through the miracle of computerized FX, Forrest seems to interact
with many of the famous, powerful, and influential people of
the '60's and '70's. The Visual Effects won an Oscar.
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