Forrest Gump Reviews

[Highly rated reviewer]

Life is like a box of chocolates

Forrest is a purely innocent, well-meaning individual, and there can be no fault found in him. It's the rest of the world that is realistic, impure, and flawed. And so, when Forrest hurts, we can't help but hurt for him, when he is successful, we can't help but be happy for him and when his heart breaks, ours breaks also.

The movie itself holds the meaning that the measurement of success is not by intelligence and fame; it is by a simple notion of happiness. Forrest could be a millionaire, but he is happy to mow the lawn for free.

Extremely quotable, the dialogue is peppered with humour and tragedy and for the most part is well written. Good performances all around, even from the supporting cast who are defined by Gump's perception of them. The special effects are great and the action is written into the plot well. The story though redundant and slow in places, does meander full circle for Gump's life and his effect on the world around him.

I prefer Rain Man, but this is still extremely good

[Highly rated reviewer]

Feel good?

Seen it? Trust me, you cried! Or when you do, you will. Cathartic.

Run, I tell you, run

A perfect example of [American] screenwriters and film producers producing films purely to pander to [American] audiences. The film tries to show the American dream, a dream that in itself is not bad, i.e. where a person can make good despite hardships.

However I draw the line at Forrest Gump not only being a star American football player (I ask you if he can’t even work out when to stop running how would he understand even which team to pass to) to teaching Elvis to dance, being a war hero, an anti-war hero, a millionaire, and just to top it off his high school sweetheart loving him in the end. Eurgh!

I make no apologies to the legions of ardent fans that love this film who regularly justify its existence by saying “it’s deep, you don’t understand it”. Deep? I suggest you try Erasurehead for deep, however Forrest Gump is rubbish. Mediocre camera work, poor scripting, average acting. It is purely a vehicle to draw naïve people into the cinema and make them buy popcorn.

Run, I tell you, run, away from this film.

A lovely movie of rare brilliance

I'd forgotten how touching this movie is. Tom Hanks is absolutely amazing and shows that he is at the very top of his game - it's impossible to imagine any other contemporary doing such a good job. And without Hanks, this movie may well have fallen completely on its feet.

But as it is, the film is simply beautiful, and the attention to detail is astonishing. It starts right in the opening scene, when we follow a feather randomly twisting and turning through a gust of wind to land, as if destiny pre-ordained it, at Forrest's feet. Needless to say, this isn't the last we see of the feather - but the movie is at pains to show that destiny, though vital, is as random and capricious as that gust of wind.

Hanks plays a simpleton (IQ: 75) from the Alabama - Deep South, who by virtue of not having a cynical molecule in his body and having a remarkable resilience and persistence when he puts his little mind to something manages to pull off a whole litany of record-breaking, medal-earning, girl-getting achievements.

The special effects play a backseat role, but effortlessly lift the movie from the bizarre into the extra-ordinary, and let the characters perform superhuman feats in an almost-believable manner.

There simply aren't any other films like this one and it didn't win its Oscars for nothing - rent it now!

In my Top Ten

I was so impressed I bought the DVD !

Forrest's gentle innocence and vulnerability are so endearing, I love this movie, and my partner likes to watch me watch it, it always brings tears to my eyes (helps if you have kids I think).

This is a movie I can watch again and again. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Didnt press any buttons for me

I found the whole premiss of the film disturbing, relying as it does on disability, and crippled individuals. I found it nauseating to watch the Film establishment race to jump on the disabled band-wagon trying to look concerned and thoughtful. Tom Hanks certainly, without doubt desrved all the acclaimed poured over him, superb job in the lead role, brilliant acting (and I hated the film). I was very uncomfortable with a blatant use of disabilities etc used to stitch together a totally unrealistic and silly plot. Many people seem to love looking for deep- and meaningful messages in films, and many time s they are there - not this time. Blatant over-reliance of peoples fear to criticise anything that portrays disabilities, is in my book unforgiveable, and Holywood should be ashamed of itself. A++ for Tom Hanks, great acting, ziltch for the overall film. You will love it or hate it - there is no inbetween, I was the latter.

Box of Chocolates

A genuine Love it / Hate it film, Forrest Gump has been quite devisive since it's release in 1994. Charting the life of borderline idiot Gump, as he innocently wanders through some of the most important moments in America's recent history, it's dubious political stance and feel-good schmaltz have been a little much for some people. Driven by nothing more than a desire to honour the life lessons taught him by his mother, and hoping to gain the love of his sweetheart Betty, Gump manages to become a decorated war hero, make millions, inspire John Lennon, meet presidents, and all without a glimmer of intellect or cunning. Hanks' guileless naif is a wonderful creation, infuriating and loveable in equal measure. There is excellent support from Gary Sinise as a fellow 'Nam vet and paraplegic, and seamless effects manage to splice Gump into old television footage with wonderful results. Some say that the film wears it's political bias on its sleeve, with any free-spirited, liberal character invariably coming to a sticky end. Personally, it seems to me that a film which depicts a society where blind obedience and conformity are often rewarded most handsomely is actually quite subversive, and paints an extremely unflattering view of America past and present with a wonderful irony. Whether you can credit a director such as Robert Zemeckis with this viewpoint is questionable, but it certainly seems open to interpretation.

Jingoistic American Crap!

Terrible film and of course it won Oscars, just Americans blowing up their own rear ends.

Jingoistic rubbish that shows just what is so bad when you let the Americans praise themselves.

Hanks is awful in it and I just wanted to punch Sally Fields in the face.

I hate receiving these bonus discs as I lose a chance to see a film, please don't send me any more bonus discs. I love the film, hated the bonus material.

[Highly rated reviewer]

simply dreadful

It takes great skill indeed to make such a poor film with a good cast,this is america cleaning its problems up,its everybodys fault but theres.The american dream it appears is only for half wits like forest gump, i am just glad that patriotic actors like john wayne, james stewart and gary cooper did not live to see this movie.over sentimental at every stage avoid at all costs