Released in 1994, ‘Forrest Gump’ shattered box office records in breakneck speed and bagged 13 Academy Award nominations with a whopping 6 Oscars. It is an American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field, and Mykelti Williamson. It has an adapted screenplay (written by Eric Goth) based on a novel written by Winston Groom (1986) that goes by the same name.
The film traces the journey of a slow-witted man named Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) from being stereotyped as stupid to participate in prestigious historical events in America. “My mama says life is a box of chocolates; you never know what you'll get”. The movie begins with Forrest Gump narrating his life story to the folks waiting at the bus stop in Savannah. As the story progresses and shifts to the flashback of his childhood, we discover that the protagonist lives in the state of Alabama with his single mother (Sally Field). He wears leg braces, his IQ is below average, he has a speech impediment, and people call him stupid. Then he confronts a series of unforeseeable opportunities. From being a fast runner, an honored soldier, star ping-pong player, shrimp business owner to an invitee on numerous historical occasions in America between the 1950s and 1980s, he does it all. But he still wishes to cherish what he desires the most: Jenny (Robin Wright), his sole childhood friend who has suffered sexual abuse from his father. Her story revolves parallelly but amidst dark circumstances.
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Not an expeditious film, but it gradually grows on you. Eric Goth took a chance because the film seamlessly shifts between narration and plot, which can be challenging for some viewers. Nonetheless, it flawlessly portrayed all the historical events making a perfect blend of visuals and narration. The story arc is not generic; it won't follow a tedious pattern to happily ever after but enthrall us with new events. It has everything from kinship, sports, history, politics, love, chase, and agony, weaved around the bits of social issues like bullying, black revolution, toxic parenting, drugs, etc. The film direction, innocent dialogues, cinematography has resulted in a deep, more nuanced performance than just the actors pantomiming what the directors tell them to do. Special and visual effects were creative and ahead of its time, whether it's Tom Hanks shaking hands and sharing a screen with famous public figures in America (John F. Kennedy) or the hard-core war scene in Vietnam.
The film gets an ideal score from me because Jenny's character is flawed and inconsistent. You alternatively pity and scorn her. Forrest is just too consistent and incredible at everything he endeavors to do, so there must be a yang to his yin. The way he religiously thinks about this profoundly flawed but ultimately very human lady contributes to the dynamic that explains both characters and their goals. Tom Hanks is flamboyant but never oversteps the other characters. On the other hand, Forrest’s friend Lieutenant Dan symbolizes the anguish of wounded soldier aftermath of a war.
We all have felt stupid and found another in-room smart at some point in our life. We doubt ourselves, but Forrest believes: 'Stupid is as stupid does'. This movie shatters all our preconceived notions, eligibility, and criteria for success. We don't do things just because we enjoy them; we do them because they are part of our success strategy. This film strongly advocates the concept that if someone can make a difference, it doesn't matter what their cognitive level or social position is. Whatever you choose to accomplish with your life, you can do it, and Forrest Gump truly supports this notion because it features a character who does not approach life in the typical human way. He does things without worrying about the fate of his destiny, simply because he felt like it. This movie wrecks and invigorates me from one beat to the next. The most gut-wrenching beat in the film is when Forrest inquiries about his son's cognition: “Is he smart, or just like me?”. It's an exclusive shot where Forrest considers what makes him unique is a liability for others.
This movie will tickle your funny bones, fill you up with tears, stretch your lips into a smile, and in the end, it will leave your grey cells to ponder over your life. Unequivocally, Robert Zemeckis communicated the idea of an innocent man with a simple Mind very well. So, buckle up. You're going to ride on the roller-coaster of feelings!
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