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I've never met anyone like Forrest Gump in a movie before, and for that matter I've never seen a movie quite like "Forrest Gump." Any attempt to describe him will risk making the movie seem more conventional than it is, but let me try. It's a comedy, I guess. Or maybe a drama. Or a dream.

The screenplay by Eric Roth has the complexity of modern fiction, not the formulas of modern movies. Its hero, played by Tom Hanks , is a thoroughly decent man with an IQ of 75, who manages between the 1950s and the 1980s to become involved in every major event in American history. And he survives them all with only honesty and niceness as his shields.

And yet this is not a heartwarming story about a mentally challenged man. That cubbyhole is much too small and limiting for Forrest Gump. The movie is more of a meditation on our times, as seen through the eyes of a man who lacks cynicism and takes things for exactly what they are. Watch him carefully and you will understand why some people are criticized for being "too clever by half." Forrest is clever by just exactly enough.

Tom Hanks may be the only actor who could have played the role.

I can't think of anyone else as Gump, after seeing how Hanks makes him into a person so dignified, so straight-ahead. The performance is a breathtaking balancing act between comedy and sadness, in a story rich in big laughs and quiet truths.

Forrest is born to an Alabama boardinghouse owner ( Sally Field ) who tries to correct his posture by making him wear braces, but who never criticizes his mind. When Forrest is called "stupid," his mother tells him, "Stupid is as stupid does," and Forrest turns out to be incapable of doing anything less than profound. Also, when the braces finally fall from his legs, it turns out he can run like the wind.

That's how he gets a college football scholarship, in a life story that eventually becomes a running gag about his good luck. Gump the football hero becomes Gump the Medal of Honor winner in Vietnam, and then Gump the Ping-Pong champion, Gump the shrimp boat captain, Gump the millionaire stockholder (he gets shares in a new "fruit company" named Apple Computer), and Gump the man who runs across America and then retraces his steps.

It could be argued that with his IQ of 75 Forrest does not quite understand everything that happens to him. Not so. He understands everything he needs to know, and the rest, the movie suggests, is just surplus. He even understands everything that's important about love, although Jenny, the girl he falls in love with in grade school and never falls out of love with, tells him, "Forrest, you don't know what love is." She is a stripper by that time.

The movie is ingenious in taking Forrest on his tour of recent American history. The director, Robert Zemeckis , is experienced with the magic that special effects can do (his credits include the "Back To The Future" movies and " Who Framed Roger Rabbit "), and here he uses computerized visual legerdemain to place Gump in historic situations with actual people.

Forrest stands next to the schoolhouse door with George Wallace , he teaches Elvis how to swivel his hips, he visits the White House three times, he's on the Dick Cavett show with John Lennon , and in a sequence that will have you rubbing your eyes with its realism, he addresses a Vietnam-era peace rally on the Mall in Washington. Special effects are also used in creating the character of Forrest's Vietnam friend Lt. Dan ( Gary Sinise ), a Ron Kovic type who quite convincingly loses his legs.

Using carefully selected TV clips and dubbed voices, Zemeckis is able to create some hilarious moments, as when LBJ examines the wound in what Forrest describes as "my butt-ox." And the biggest laugh in the movie comes after Nixon inquires where Forrest is staying in Washington, and then recommends the Watergate. (That's not the laugh, just the setup.) As Forrest's life becomes a guided tour of straight-arrow America, Jenny (played by Robin Wright ) goes on a parallel tour of the counterculture. She goes to California, of course, and drops out, tunes in, and turns on. She's into psychedelics and flower power, antiwar rallies and love-ins, drugs and needles. Eventually it becomes clear that between them Forrest and Jenny have covered all of the landmarks of our recent cultural history, and the accommodation they arrive at in the end is like a dream of reconciliation for our society. What a magical movie.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film Credits

Forrest Gump (1994)

Rated PG-13 For Drug Content, Sensuality and War Violence

135 minutes

Robin Wright as Jenny Curran

Gary Sinise as Lt. Dan

Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump

Directed by

Robert Zemeckis

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Forrest gump, common sense media reviewers.

Moving and wonderful, but parent preview a good idea.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Stresses importance of family, friendship, and loy

Forrest, through his big heart, seems to bring out

Forrest's friends Bubba and Lt. Dan Taylor are Bla

Other kids taunt and throw rocks at young Forrest;

Jenny works as an adult performer at one point, pl

Language includes "s--t," "f--k" (a couple of time

Brand names (like Apple) are mentioned, but genera

A central character takes lots of drugs during one

Positive Messages

Stresses importance of family, friendship, and loyalty. Serious issues like child abuse and war are addressed. Other major themes include gratitude, integrity, and perseverance.

Positive Role Models

Forrest, through his big heart, seems to bring out the best in people. He stumbles into much of his good luck serendipitously, but he also works hard and devotes himself to whatever he's focused on. Other characters have more complex motivations and backstories, but Forrest helps keep them pointed in the right direction.

Diverse Representations

Forrest's friends Bubba and Lt. Dan Taylor are Black and disabled, respectively, each positive but with stereotypical traits (Bubba's actor wore a prosthetic to have a bigger lower lip; the wheelchair-using veteran is implied to be self-destructive with suicidal ideation). Jenny often needs to be rescued by Forrest and isn't given much agency. As a child, Forrest is "miraculously" healed from a spine illness; the scene of him shedding his leg braces as he sets off into a run is ableist.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Other kids taunt and throw rocks at young Forrest; he's insulted throughout his life for having a low IQ score. Fistfights and explosive/bloody Vietnam War combat scenes. The scene in which young Jenny hides from her abusive father is disturbing, as are a couple of major characters' deaths. Serious wounds from war. Implied sexual abuse of children. Historical events discussed or alluded to include assassinations. It's implied that characters have suicidal ideation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Jenny works as an adult performer at one point, playing guitar naked (she's covered by the instrument from the front, but you can see her nude from the back). Foreplay includes Forrest putting his hand on a woman's breast while her roommate is in the room (the outline of her breast and her naked backside are seen). Kissing/groping, women in their underwear. Lt. Dan and Forrest are seen shirtless, and adults have sex in a non-explicit scene. Characters look at a pornographic magazine, but no nude pictures are shown in detail. A child overhears the sounds of two adults having sex.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language includes "s--t," "f--k" (a couple of times), "goddamn," "ass," and more, as well as insults like the "N" word, "stupid," and "idiot."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Brand names (like Apple) are mentioned, but generally within a specific historical/cultural context.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

A central character takes lots of drugs during one part of the movie, with cocaine, bongs, pill bottles, needles, and pipes visible. Other characters drink and smoke cigarettes.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Forrest Gump is an Oscar-winning film by Robert Zemeckis (based on the novel by Winston Groom) that follows the title character ( Tom Hanks ) through his brushes with important people and moments in U.S. history. Expect strong language ("s--t," "f--k," and more), violence (including bloody/explosive Vietnam War scenes and child abuse), and drug use (cocaine is seen, and characters drink and smoke cigarettes). There are sexual situations (foreplay, kissing, implied sex, the outline of a breast and a backside, and more) but nothing explicit. Despite the mature content, its positive messages and entertaining take on modern American history make it a fine choice for families with teens. Black and disabled characters are featured in a positive light, but they also perpetuate stereotypes. Women, especially Forrest's love, Jenny ( Robin Wright ), are given no agency. Parents may want to preview the movie for its treatment of serious topics like abuse, the civil rights movement, drugs, and war. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

Parents say (72)
Kids say (290)

Based on 72 parent reviews

Great movie for teens

A great movie but not for young teens, skip the sex scenes, drug scenes, and prostitute scenes. this film is able to make the audience cry with tears, what's the story.

FORREST GUMP tells the story of the title character ( Tom Hanks ), a childlike man who unknowingly takes part in some of the most significant moments in modern American history, sometimes becoming an accidental hero. Forrest dreams of being reunited with his lifelong love Jenny ( Robin Wright ), who seems to become more elusive as they age.

Is It Any Good?

This film serves up an abundance of surprising treats, sometimes sweet and sometimes bitter. Though its strong language, violence, and sexual situations make it iffy for young children, Forrest Gump can introduce teens to prominent moments in 20th century United States. Through the use of Oscar-winning visual effects, Forrest interacts with U.S. presidents, accidentally uncovers the Watergate scandal, and inspires John Lennon to write the song "Imagine." Although mostly witty, the film's tongue-in-cheek rewriting of major U.S. events often erases the contributions of Black Americans, such as attributing Elvis Presley's famous "pelvis dance" to Forrest, rather than to the Black musicians that Elvis was inspired by in real life.

The encounters sometimes border on the absurd, but they're anchored by Hanks' extraordinary performance. He makes Forrest a sympathetic character instead of a stereotype of someone with a learning disability. Superb acting by the entire cast, especially Wright as Jenny and Gary Sinise as Forrest's Army lieutenant, adds substance to this sentimental tearjerker.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about American history and how it's seen through Forrest Gump's eyes. Are historical events depicted in an accurate way? Should movies depict history accurately, or are they allowed poetic license?

Which historical events before your time would you have liked to be a part of? Which characters from history would you like to meet?

What would you say Forrest Gump 's main message is? Are viewers meant to admire Forrest? To sympathize with him?

How do the characters in Forrest Gump demonstrate integrity , perseverance , and gratitude ? Why are these important character strengths?

Movie Details

In theaters : July 6, 1994
On DVD or streaming : September 30, 2014
Cast : Robin Wright , Sally Field , Tom Hanks
Director : Robert Zemeckis
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Paramount Pictures
Genre : Drama
Topics : Book Characters , History
Character Strengths : Gratitude , Integrity , Perseverance
Run time : 135 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : drug content, sensuality and war violence
Awards : Academy Award , Golden Globe
Last updated : January 17, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Entertainment

Show Business: The World According to Gump

You are getting a free preview of a TIME Magazine article from our archive . Many of our articles are reserved for subscribers only. Want access to more subscriber-only content, click here to subscribe.

You see them — folks of all ages and both sexes — floating out of the movie theater on waves of honorable sentiment. The kids look thoughtful, the grownups wistful. Couples are holding hands. This is not a Speed crowd; these people haven’t just exited a roller-coaster movie — they’ve completed an upbeat encounter session with America’s recent past. No question: one more audience has been Gumped.

Forrest Gump , a romantic epic starring Tom Hanks as a slow but sweet-souled Alabama boy who lucks into nearly every headline event of the past 40 years, is the summer sensation: a popular hit and an instant cultural touchstone. As the film’s director, Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit), says, Gump has “no typical storytelling devices: no villain, no ticking clock, no burning fuse.” Yet it has exploded at the North American box office. In its second week of release, when ticket sales for even the most robust hits drop perhaps 20%, Gump held even. This past weekend it reached the $100 million mark; an industry savant predicts, quite conservatively, that it will finally earn $165 million.

Gump has warmed the collective heart of moviegoers; they spread the word, command their friends to go. They storm music stores for the two-CD album, featuring 32 songs from the rock era. They snap up copies of Winston Groom’s 1986 novel, on which the film was based, and copies of Gumpisms: The Wit and Wisdom of Forrest Gump , a pocket-size book of aphorisms from the novel. Then they run back to the theater to relive the experience. “It makes you look at things in a better way than you used to,” says W. Bart Edwards, a Gainsville, Florida, psychiatrist who worked in a veterans’ hospital and sees the film as a salve for Vietnam survivors. “It’s like a happy tear-jerking.”

Vietnam is just one nightmare in Forrest’s odd odyssey. Born with a 75 IQ and deemed an embarrassment by everyone except his loving mother (Sally Field), the boy discovers two things: he can run like a gale-force wind, and he will always love his neighbor Jenny (Robin Wright). He goes to war with one friend, a young black man (Mykelti Williamson) dreaming of shrimp boats, and comes home with another, career soldier Dan Taylor (Gary Sinise). And wherever he is, he bumps into famous people: George Wallace and Richard Nixon, J.F.K. and L.B.J., Elvis and John Lennon (all integrated onscreen with Hanks through ingenious special effects). Almost everyone Forrest knows dies. He survives, through his goodness and the miracle of idiot grace.

“I don’t want to sound like a bad version of ‘the child within,”‘ says co- producer Wendy Finerman, who discovered the novel in galleys nine years ago and nurtured the film to fruition. “But the childlike innocence of Forrest Gump is what we all once had. It’s an emotional journey. You laugh and cry. It does what movies are suppose to do: make you feel alive.”

The movie does that. It is a smart, affecting, easygoing fable with plenty of talent on both sides of the camera. The key ingredient is Hanks, the one actor whom the mass audience trusts as an exemplar of quality. He can sell a tough subject to tough customers because they know the film will not be so much about issues as about the decency with which his character faces up to them. That goes for Gump. “The film is nonpolitical,” Hanks says, “and thus nonjudgmental. It doesn’t just celebrate survival, it celebrates the struggle.”

Classically trained and sitcom-bred, Hanks knows that the starkest drama can always use a leavening of wit. For most of the film, he underplays Forrest’s reactions at a level somewhere between a fretful deadpan and the rural slyness of the early Andy Griffith. So when he releases his feelings at the end (when questions of fatherhood and family traits are involved), the scene gushes like a geyser.

So does the audience. “I want to stand up and yell, ‘Go, Gump, go!”‘ says Chris Jackson, a Chicago bartender. “I sat there with tears dripping down my face.” This is the common testimony: cheering and tearing. “People cheered at our audience-research sessions,” says Finerman, “so we knew we had something. What amazed us was that all four quadrants — older men and women, younger men and women — wanted to see it.” That’s another clue to Gumpmania: it’s a movie that makes grown men cry. From I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang to Field of Dreams, the male weepie has been a dependable genre. And Gump, to its credit, is not one of those cry-by-night (but you hate yourself in the morning) exercises in emotional blackmail. It’s fairly honorable about picking your heart’s pocket.

That must be what attracted Finerman, whose eight-year crusade to make this movie is already a Hollywood legend. In retrospect, though, Forrest Gump seems a can’t-miss proposition. Consider that the only three movies of the past two decades to win both the year’s box-office crown and the Oscar for Best Picture — Rocky, Kramer vs. Kramer and Rain Man — were canny, poignant fables of men in domestic crisis. Throw in two other high-grossing Oscar winners, Platoon and Terms of Endearment, and you have the recipe for a “mature,” feel-good smash. Let’s see: retarded man, family man, Vietnam hero and lots of decent folks on their deathbeds. The movie is not only a greatest-hits rendering of 25 years of Americana, it’s a distillation of humanist culture in commercial movies.

It is also a sleek Hollywoodizing, a ruthlessly canny face-lift of Groom’s novel. In the book, Forrest was just as naive but not quite so innocent or lucky: he had some sex, did some drugs and missed out on the nuclear family that in the movie Forrest finally gets to tend. In pumping up Jenny’s role, screenwriter Eric Roth transferred all of Forrest’s flaws — and most of the excesses Americans committed in the ’60s and ’70s to her. Wright’s Jenny is a frail soul in tailspin, a battered child in a beautiful woman’s body. And Forrest is her redeemer. The suspense of the movie is whether she will allow him to save her.

Zemeckis says, without apparent irony: “I imagined Norman Rockwell painting the baby boomers.” And that is Gump : a social tragedy sanitized for a Saturday Evening Post cover. It celebrates innocence, acceptance and, not least, good manners in a tale set in the very era when Americans were supposed to have misplaced these virtues. The movie offers a cheerful alternative history — a Golden Book version — of the Vietnam War: it’s all about the emotional triumphs of these nice American soldiers, and hardly a Vietnamese even appears. There are precious few villains: only the boys who throw rocks at young Gump, Jenny’s sexually abusive father and the SDS leader who slaps her around. Everyone else is either a celebrity or a victim.

For younger viewers, then, Forrest Gump serves as a gentle introduction to the ’60s: baptism not by fire but by sound track. And to those who raged, suffered or sinned through that insane decade, the movie offers absolution with a love pat. Whaddaya know? We waged a stupid war that destroyed both another country and the best part of ourselves; we tore up our streets and our psyches in a kind of Cultural Revolution; we practically killed ourselves with drugs — and it turns out we’re not guilty. By allowing us to relive all the evils of recent history through invulnerably innocent, uncontaminated Forrest, the movie lets us achieve a vicarious virtue.Thank you, Forrest Gump . We feel so much better.

“Filmmakers often say the American public doesn’t want complicated films full of thought,” says Field, who is outstanding as the heroic mom in this edgy valentine. “They are wrong. They underestimate the intelligence of the American audience.” But does Forrest Gump make you think? No, it makes you feel — or, at best, makes you think about what you feel, and about how long it has been since a movie found those remote corners of sympathy and sentiment.

From a film industry that softens virtually any contentious social issue — aids, the Holocaust, Vietnam — into a fable with a happy ending, Forrest is the ultimate sentimental figure. He embodies that noble Hollywood precept, the spiritual superiority of the handicapped. Forrest is not the ranter on the subway or the sullen, overgrown lad at the back of the class. He is — well, just who is he?

The neat trick about Forrest is he can symbolize so many people. New York Times columnist Frank Rich has compared him to Bill Clinton. But Forrest’s simple optimism and his success as an entrepreneur and a reviver of American confidence could make him an emblem of ’80s conservatism: not only Reaganomics but what Republicans might call Reaganethics. He’s E.T. with a little Gandhi thrown in. He’s Candide making the best of the worst of all possible worlds. And in his influence on events, from the capture of the Watergate burglars to John Lennon’s composition of the song Imagine, he seems almost omnipotent. All-innocent and all-powerful, the ideal guru for the nervous ’90s: Forrest God.

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Forrest Gump Reviews

Forrest was an ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Mar 3, 2024

Zemeckis has made a fast movie about a slow hero; he transforms Forrest's daffy misconceptions into lyrical flights. Forrest Gump has a softer, more delicate touch and a richer current of feeling than any of the other holy-innocent movies.

Full Review | Mar 1, 2024

What makes Forrest Gump a stunning triumph, a departure from the mediocre norm? A big reason is the way the film provides a fresh perspective on the familiar experience, through the eyes of its unforgettable protagonist.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Mar 1, 2024

Forrest Gump isn't a movie for cynics. Instead, it's one of those rare films that seduces viewers into overlooking its faults with the sheer goodness of its heart.

Full Review | Original Score: A- | Mar 1, 2024

Hanks' performance [is] a triumph of dignity, decency, and warm-hearted humor... Even more than his Oscar-winning achievement in Philadelphia, this is a role that will be remembered as long as people care about great acting.

Forrest Gump is a very fine hour for everybody involved. And it's concrete evidence that Tom Hanks is the best actor working in American film today.

Forrest Gump is for big kids what playing Nintendo is for little ones -- that is, the neato thing about Robert Zemeckis' film is the clever techno-wizardry produced by Ken Ralston and Industrial Light and Magic.

Hanks never strikes a false note, never panders to his mentally slow character nor tries to make him more than he is, despite a script that occasionally calls on him to utter what presumably are intended to be simple profundities.

There's an undeniable kick to the idea of recapitulating to the Boomerography as a tale told by an idiot, but the thrill inexorably fades.

Intended as a paean to simplicity and a meditation on the quirks of destiny, "Gump" is instead simple-minded and calculated, a cloying, reactionary fable in praise of stupidity.

Forrest Gump is about as good as Hollywood movies get.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Mar 1, 2024

Hanks' immersion in character and his convincing interaction with fellow players make Forrest Gump -- gimmicks and all -- a pleasure.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 1, 2024

The best art takes the biggest chances, thereby losing people who can't stretch with it. Forrest Gump is worth the effort.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Mar 1, 2024

Forrest Gump is going to touch a lot of people's lives. It also has a good shot at bringing Tom Hanks a second Oscar for best actor.

Loosely adapted from Winston Groom's satirical novel, Forrest Gump provides an incredibly rich and daffy historical pastiche.

Forrest Gump is a rare treat: a movie that delivers a message of hope and faith without delving into preachiness. Much of that success is due to Hanks' majestically deadpan performance.

It turns tedious toward the end... But when it's good, it's very good, and the way it blends star Tom Hanks, who plays the title character, into actual historical film footage will tickle you to no end.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 1, 2024

Forrest Gump manages to examine some of the basic questions of human life and to add perspective to the two most disruptive decades in modern history.

Director Robert Zemeckis is no stranger to spectacular effects. But seldom do knockout technology, superb acting and witty writing meld so satisfactorily.

It requires a delicate touch to keep from becoming precious. Director Robert Zemeckis is up to the task.

Paramount Pictures

Summary A sweeping look at thirty tumultuous years of American history seen through the eyes of the charmed simpleton Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks).

Directed By : Robert Zemeckis

Written By : Winston Groom, Eric Roth

Where to Watch

Forrest Gump

Robin Wright

Jenny curran.

Gary Sinise

Lieutenant dan taylor.

Sally Field

Rebecca williams, nurse at park bench, michael conner humphreys, young forrest, harold g. herthum, george kelly, john randall.

Sam Anderson

Margo moorer, ione m. telech, elderly woman, christine seabrook, elderly woman's daughter, john worsham, southern gentleman, landowner.

Peter Dobson

Young elvis presley.

Siobhan Fallon Hogan

School bus driver, alexander zemeckis, school bus boy, logan livingston gomez, critic reviews.

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‘forrest gump’: thr’s 1994 review.

On July 6, 1994, Paramount unveiled the Robert Zemeckis film in theaters.

By Duane Byrge

Duane Byrge

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On July 6, 1994, Paramount unveiled Robert Zemeckis ‘ Forrest Gump in theaters. The Tom Hanks satire would go on to win six Oscars at the 67th Academy Awards, including best picture. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:

Forrest Gump is not stupid. Although his IQ is 75, he sees the world far clearer than most. Through his decent, childlike eyes, we too see things in a less confused and muddled way. In this cheerfully straight-arrow moral tale, Tom Hanks stars as the “wise fool” Forrest Gump and delivers yet another Oscar-level performance. Paramount will win sensational box office with this Robert Zemeckis-directed film.

Raised in the ‘ 50s in rural Alabama by a single mother (Sally Field), Forrest, being “different,” must fend for himself, struggling against not only perceived expectations but boyhood bullies. He unwittingly finds that he’s blessed with a talent — he can run like the wind, which wins him a football scholarship to play for Bear Bryant at the University of Alabama. And there’s no stopping him after that.

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Forrest Gump

By Todd McCarthy

Todd McCarthy

Remember Me 14 years ago
Shutter Island 14 years ago
Green Zone 14 years ago

A picaresque story of a simpleton’s charmed odyssey through 30 years of tumultuous American history, “ Forrest Gump ” is whimsy with a strong cultural spine. Elegantly made and winningly acted by Tom Hanks in his first outing since his Oscar-winning “Philadelphia” performance, Robert Zemeckis’ technically dazzling new film is also shrewdly packaged to hit baby boomers where they live. Pic offers up a non-stop barrage of emotional and iconographic identification points that will make the postwar generation feel they’re seeing their lives passing by onscreen. Paramount’s target audience is obvious, and boffo B.O. should ensue.

In a part Dustin Hoffman might once have killed for, Hanks plays a kind of semi-imbecile whose very blankness makes him an ideal audience prism through which many of the key events of the ’50s through early ’80s can be viewed. Lacking any ideology or analytical powers, Gump is the immutable innocent moving in a state of grace through a nation in the process of losing its innocence, an Everyman who acts instinctively in an age defined by political divisiveness.

Although hard to pigeonhole, the picture unavoidably recalls the idiot-savant classic “Being There,” and significantly resembles “The World According to Garp” in tone. Most often mentioned, however, will be its similarity to Woody Allen’s “Zelig,” as some of the biggest laughs stem from wizardly interpolations of the Gump character into newsreel and TV footage of several U.S. presidents and other leading figures.

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As Gump narrates his story to a succession of listeners at a Savannah, Ga., bus stop, a most curious life is revealed in evocative, often jokey flashbacks. Gump is raised in an old plantation mansion, now a boarding house, by his abandoned mother (Sally Field), who tells the boy that he’s no different from anyone else despite his 75 I.Q. Outfitted with leg braces and shunned by other boys, young Forrest finds his only friend in a beautiful little girl, Jenny, herself the victim of abuse at home.

Once Forrest, in a startling scene, literally breaks free of his leg shackles, he becomes “a running fool,” darting about wherever he goes at terrific speed. Even though he doesn’t understand the rules, he becomes a star running back on the high school and college football teams, and it’s at the U. of Alabama that the grown-up Forrest has his first date with destiny, as a dopey-looking bystander next to Gov. George Wallace as the first black students are admitted through the school’s doors.

After another encounter, with JFK, Forrest heads for Vietnam, where his dim-wittedness makes him the ideal Army soldier. On the way, he meets Bubba Blue (Mykelti Williamson), another not especially swift fellow who’s like Forrest’s black brother, a man whose dreams of a shrimping life give Forrest something to aspire to once they’re back.

After an intense battle, Forrest saves the lives of several men, including his commanding officer, Lt. Dan (Gary Sinise), who nonetheless loses his legs, and Forrest returns home to receive the Medal of Honor from LBJ and have a chance reunion with Jenny (Robin Wright), who’s become a camp follower of SDS and Black Panther types.

Through it all, Forrest retains his love and idealized image of Jenny. She, however, indulges in the try-it-all excesses of the era, becoming a stripper, hippie, activist, druggie and more. Jenny keeps popping into Forrest’s life at intervals, never quite ready to settle for his unquestioning love until it’s almost too late.

Meanwhile, Forrest’s eventful life comes to embrace a stint as a champ ping-pong player, a down-and-out period with Lt. Dan in New York, a hilarious key role in the Watergate saga, amazing success as a shrimp boat captain, the resumption of his life as a runner, which sees him become a sort of mystical guru figure to the jogging set, and finally the unexpected arrival of fatherhood.

In covering so much ground, literally and figuratively, Eric Roth’s intelligently structured, finely tuned screenplay also serves up innumerable cultural touchstones that will have most viewers in the 30-50 age range melting in recognition. Main themes here have to do with the impulse to recapture the past; the wish to return to one’s childhood, or at least the site of it; the desire to fulfill your life with your original true love; the need to refashion the simple feeling of homeafter many aimless years; and assuming the responsibilities of parenthood after much delay.

At just short of 2 1/2 hours, pic is a bit indulgent, long and excessive at times, but this is more than compensated for by its humor and sharp-witted storytelling. For the minority of nay-sayers the film will encounter, pic’s key problem will be its preoccupation with lost innocence and certain other self-centered hang-ups.

Pic is weakest in the Forrest-Jenny relationship; the characters have nothing but their childhood connection going for them. Changes in Jenny’s life are mostly marked by the alterations to Wright’s coiffure and costumes, and the actress has little to play until the late moments.

On the other hand, Gump reps another career triumph for Hanks after his Oscar turn. Affecting a Southern drawl and affable sweetness, the actor draws the viewer close to his curious character immediately, and manages to keep one intrigued and amused throughout. His comic timing is as sharp as ever, even when interacting with real-life figures in docu footage, and his malleable physicality contributes a great deal to the intermittent hilarity.

In the key supporting roles, Sinise and Williamson are excellent, while Field pops up as Forrest’s loving mom at the beginning and near the end.

Zemeckis’ direction is supple, and in this instance he has well balanced his long-term interest in technical matters with concern over performance and content. From the extraordinary, descending opening shot on through a vivid ground-level Vietnam firestorm and the documentary facsimiles, the film is a superior example of Hollywood craftsmanship, with outstanding contributions from lenser Don Burgess, production designer Rick Carter, costume designer Joanna Johnston and numerous special-effects hands.

The film has been very well worked out on all levels, and manages the difficult feat of being an intimate, even delicate tale played with an appealingly light touch against an epic backdrop.

Production: A Paramount release of a Steve Tisch/Wendy Finerman production. Produced by Finerman, Tisch, Steve Starkey. Co-producer, Charles Newirth. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Screenplay, Eric Roth, based on the novel by Winston Groom.
Crew: Camera (DuArt, Technicolor; Deluxe prints; Panavision widescreen), Don Burgess; editor, Arthur Schmidt; music, Alan Silvestri; executive music producer, Joel Sill; production design, Rick Carter; art direction, Leslie McDonald, Jim Teegarden; set design, Erin Kemp, James C. Feng, Elizabeth Lapp, Lauren E. Polizzi; set decoration, Nancy Haigh; costume design, Joanna Johnston; sound (Dolby), William B. Kaplan; visual effects supervisor, Ken Ralston; special visual effects, Industrial Light & Magic; assistant director, Bruce Moriarty; second unit director, Starkey; second unit camera, David M. Dunlap; casting, Ellen Lewis. Reviewed at the Bruin Theater, L.A., June 27, 1994. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 142 MIN.
With: Forrest Gump - Tom Hanks Jenny Curran - Robin Wright Lt. Dan Taylor - Gary Sinise Bubba Blue - Mykelti Williamson Mrs. Gump - Sally Field Young Forrest - Michael Conner Humphreys Young Jenny - Hanna R. Hall

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Forrest Gump

The history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart. The history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart. The history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.

Robert Zemeckis
Winston Groom
Robin Wright
Gary Sinise
3.1K User reviews
110 Critic reviews
82 Metascore
51 wins & 74 nominations total

Jenny Curran

Lieutenant Dan Taylor

Nurse at Park Bench

Young Forrest
(as Harold Herthum)

Elderly Woman
Elderly Woman's Daughter
Southern Gentleman …

Young Elvis Presley

School Bus Driver
(as Siobhan J. Fallon)
School Bus Boy
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Can You Imagine 'Forrest Gump' Without Tom Hanks?

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Trivia When Forrest gets up to talk at the Vietnam rally in Washington, the microphone plug is pulled and you cannot hear him. According to Tom Hanks he said, "Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs. Sometimes they don't go home at all. That's a bad thing. That's all I have to say about that."
Goofs When Forrest is given his discharge papers, he sets down his ping-pong paddle and (computerized) ball to salute the officer. When he picks the paddle back up, he also pretends to pick up the ball, which didn't end up getting animated.

Forrest Gump : [running] I had run for 3 years, 2 months, 14 days, and 16 hours.

[he stops and turns around]

Young Man Running : Quiet, quiet! He's gonna say something!

Forrest Gump : [pause] I'm pretty tired... I think I'll go home now.

Alternate versions In the TBS and the ABC version, the line at the end of the dorm scene is cut, "I think I ruined your roommate's bath robe".
Connections Edited from The Birth of a Nation (1915)
Soundtracks Lovesick Blues Written by Cliff Friend & Irving Mills Performed by Hank Williams Courtesy of PolyGram Special Markets

User reviews 3.1K

blairgallop7
Dec 15, 2007
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July 6, 1994 (United States)
United States
Official Facebook
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Forrest Gamp
Chippewa Square, Savannah, Georgia, USA (bus stop bench)
Paramount Pictures
The Steve Tisch Company
Wendy Finerman Productions
See more company credits at IMDbPro
$55,000,000 (estimated)
$330,455,270
$24,450,602
Jul 10, 1994
$678,226,465

Technical specs

Runtime 2 hours 22 minutes
Black and White
Dolby Atmos

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Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump Review

05 Oct 1994

142 minutes

Forrest Gump

The charmed and charming life journey of an innocent tossed through three decades of America's turbulent modern history makes for an original and hugely appealing story. Its mesmerising potential only falters because director Robert Zemeckis' agility with ingenious special effects occasionally outpaces his narrative judgement, as it did in Death Becomes Her and, to a lesser extent, in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It is still his most emotionally satisfying work to date, though, and however mildly or sharply one is struck by its dramatic flaws, there can be few who would deny the film's entertainment value or the captivation of Tom Hanks' performance as the eponymous Gump.

State-of-the-art computer digitalised compositing enables Forrest to interact with Presidents JFK, LBJ and Nixon, pop stars like John Lennon and TV personalities galore, creating other illusions to quite astounding effect. Less successful is the strand throughout the film in which Wright's Jenny counterpoints Forrest's naïve plod - always following his heart and his inner voice of right-doing in a country losing direction - with her extended walk on the wild side through promiscuity, drugs and loss of belief. Overlong, the film begins to slide into a sentimentalised panorama of the times with distracting, though admittedly frequently hilarious, spectacles.

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Forrest Gump

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

Forrest Gump is a movie heart-breaker of oddball wit and startling grace. There’s talk of another Oscar for Tom Hanks , who is unforgettable as the sweet-natured, shabbily treated simpleton of the title. The Academy is a sucker for honoring afflicted heroes. In Hollywood, it’s always raining rain men. Credit Hanks for not overplaying his hand. He brings a touching gravity to the role of an idiot savant from the South who finds strength in God, country, his childhood pal, Jenny (Robin Wright), and his good mama (Sally Field). When Forrest falls a few IQ points shy of minimal school requirements, Mama knows who to sleep with to bend the rules. Her son has a gift. As Forrest makes his pilgrim’s progress from the ’50s to the ’80s, he becomes a college football star, a Vietnam war hero, a shrimp tycoon and even a father.

Taking a cue from Zelig, director Robert Zemeckis places Forrest in a vivid historical context — he talks with JFK, LBJ and Nixon, among other luminaries. The effects dazzle, though never at the expense of the story. Winston Groom, who wrote the 1986 novel, saw Forrest as a modern Candide, an optimist in the face of strong opposing evidence. But Groom is no Voltaire, and neither is screenwriter Eric Roth ( Mr. Jones, Memories of Me ), who blunts his satire with choking sentiment. It’s Hanks who brings humor and unforced humanity to the literary conceit of Forrest, though the slim actor scarcely resembles the 6-foot-6-inch, 240-pound bruiser of the book.

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In a college dorm with Jenny, who lets him touch her breast, the virginal Forrest ejaculates instantly, losing her interest and his self-respect. In the Army, Forrest saves his captain (Gary Sinise), whose legs are later amputated, and the captain resents him. Forrest is everything we admire in the American character — honest, brave, loyal — and the film’s fierce irony is that nobody can stay around him for long.

Zemeckis doesn’t fall into the trap of using Forrest as an ad for arrested development. He knows the limits of a holy fool who can’t understand the hypocrisy of postwar America that this picaresque epic so powerfully reveals. The peace-love pretensions of the ’60s are skewered as neatly as the greed decades that follow. But there is something of Forrest that Zemeckis would like to see rub off on us: his capacity for hope. It’s an ambitious goal in this age of rampant cynicism. Godspeed.

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‘Forrest Gump’ – Film Review and Analysis

One film that captures both your imagination and your heartstrings is the classic American film, Forrest Gump. Released in theaters over two decades ago in 1994, it has become one of the most beloved films of all time and enjoyed high amounts of praise from both critics and moviegoers alike. The film was notable for the fact that it won many different awards and accolades such as the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director for Robert Zemeckis, Best Actor for Tom Hanks, among many other distinctions. I would argue that this film along with Big helped to launch Tom Hanks as one of Hollywood’s rising stars and set him on a monumental acting career, which included many future box office hits. Five years ago, the U.S. Library of Congress recognized Forrest Gump as being a film that is historically, culturally, and aesthetically significant and selected it for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

Forrest Gump is about an everyman who has a slight disability of not being as smart as everyone else with an IQ of 75. However, despite him learning this fact as a child and being bullied about it, he manages to not let this handicap ruin his life but instead learns to preserve and make the most of things. The story of Forrest Gump takes place over the tumultuous and transformative decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s when America went through a number of political, social, and economic changes. One of the true delights of this film is seeing how many of these changes Forrest witnesses and is actually apart of.

During the film, we see him shaking his hips with Elvis Presley at his mom’s guesthouse in Alabama, serving in the U.S. Army after being drafted in the Vietnam War, starting a fight during the midst of a Black Panther group meeting, and meeting Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. Despite his lack of formal intelligence, Forrest does not let that stop him from being an ‘All-American’ college football player, a veteran of the Vietnam War, a shrimp boat, a wealthy man due to his investments in a little company called Apple Inc, and lastly and most important, a loving son, friend, father, and husband. In addition to serving in Vietnam and witnessing Elvis Presley in person, Forrest also helps a black woman become the first African-American to integrate into an all-white school, helps to break the seal on the Watergate scandal when he sees people breaking into DNC headquarters, and becomes an international ping-pong star while helping to improve relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. He’s an every man who takes life as it comes regardless of the good or bad and finds himself involved in extraordinary events that shape American history.

As Forrest gets wrapped up in these events over the course of the film, he takes an almost child-like innocence to them even in the cases of war, violence and prejudice. He’s aware of these things and knows right from wrong but tries to live a simple and uncomplicated life despite all he’s been through. He wants to be a good son to his mother; he desires to be with the love of his life, Jenny, to have good friendships with his fellow soldier Bubba and Lieutenant Dan, and to be a responsible father to his son at the end of the movie. He may lack intelligence in terms of critical thinking and solving problems; he has the ability to display maturity, show emotional intelligence and is able to show kindness and love towards others despite his differences with them.

While he may not know his father, and his wife Jenny disrespected and left him in the cold over the years when she was dealing with her own demons, he has the ability to look past these grievances and live a good and fulfilling life. Forrest endures other traumas and heartbreak in the Vietnam War when he sees his fellow soldiers and friends killed or disabled like his good friend Bubba and his lieutenant, Dan Taylor. While he could have given up on life or become bitter and disenchanted, Forrest instead finds new purposes in playing ping-pong around the world, starting a very profitable shrimp boat company with his old Lieutenant Dan, and runs around the United States for three years straight to help get past those losses and betrayals that has haunted him. Forrest is an example of a man who never gives up and keeps moving forward despite his past. He simply does not let his past define him. Like all of us, he’s been giving good and bad fortune but he makes the best of things regardless of the circumstances.

During the long run scene of Forrest’s, people become inspired by his example and ask him for advice and guidance. He doesn’t have much to say to them but they happen to find comfort in the fact that he’s doing this just for its’ own sake. Forrest simply can’t help them all figure life as they have to each follow their own path and find inspiration wherever they can. Once one path ends, another one opens up to be explored afterwards. As Forrest states when reporters ask him why he’s running, “I just felt like running.” Sometimes, you don’t need a reason to be doing something if you feel like it.

While many other people are inspired and are given hope from Forrest’s example, Forrest is inspired by other people such as his mother played by the wonderful Sally Field, along with his fellow soldier Bubba and his Lieutenant Dan. His mother teaches him about love, respect, and finding your own path in life. She gives Forrest a quote on her death-bed that he takes to heart and has become one of the most famous movie quotes of all-time. “Life is like a box of chocolates, Forrest, you never know what you’re gonna get.” Forrest asks his mom what his destiny may be. She tells him that he can’t answer that for him and ask he needs to figure that out for himself. She does let him know that it was her destiny to be his momma and that she’s very proud of the man that he has become.

Forrest’s relationship throughout the film with Jenny is complicated and unfortunate as the ways their lives converge and diverge leads to pain and heartbreak but also compassion and understanding. Jenny is Forrest’s first and only love. They grow up together and spend time getting to know each other. Forrest is a breath of fresh air for Jenny who has to deal with an abusive father at home. Even through college, they remain close but still friends.

Jenny’s path through life takes her to some lonely places and she deals with abusive boyfriends, drug abuse, and hostile friends like the Black Panther party. Even with her flaws, Forrest still loves her as always and asks her to marry him. She eventually agrees to be his bride making him the happiest man in the world. Tragically, their marriage is cut short by the fact that Jenny has HIV/AIDS and has become really sick. However, the love that Jenny shares for Forrest allows them to have a son together before she passes away. While a devastating loss for Forrest like it was to lose his mother and Bubba, his best friend, Forrest’s destiny is renewed in the love he has for his son, Forrest Jr. as he takes care of him after Jenny’s death.

Forrest Gump is a special movie that has resonated with millions of people around the world. Many folks have been inspired by the message of this movie and have gone to improve their lives in enumerable ways. The story of Forrest Gump is a story of hope, love, perseverance, respect, and tolerance. Anybody who watches Forrest Gump will get something out of the movie because of its’ overall message. Like the feather that floats by Forrest at the beginning and ending of the film, you make the most of what we’re dealt with in life and it’s you alone who can shape your destiny through the choices you make, the people you befriend, and the impact you create. We may all be floating on the breeze like a feather unsure of where we’re going but we can steer the direction of that feather to new places and new conclusions.

Forrest Gump is a special character in a special movie that rekindles for viewers what they love about the big screen by showing our capacity as human beings to love, cry, laugh, and share good times and bad with those friends and family as Forrest does. Anybody who watches Forrest Gump can relate to Forrest and what he goes through. That is what makes this movie such an endearing, popular film and why it will last for many more years as one of the most iconic pieces of work in American cinema.

Author: Ben W.

Hello, I am an Entrepreneur in Online Education focusing on English as a Second Language Studies. I offer online courses and eBooks on English grammar, Business English, and English writing. I also recently released my first personal development guide. You can find all of these offerings below and please sign-up for updates to come! Thanks. View all posts by Ben W.

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Forrest Gump (United States, 1994)

Since its theatrical release in the summer of 1994, Forrest Gump has become one of those movies seemingly everyone is familiar with. It's a cultural touchstone with lines like "Life is a box of chocolates" appearing everywhere from tee-shirts to greeting cards. The film's popularity was italicized by the way it rampaged through the 1995 Oscars, winning six awards (including the "big three" of Best Picture, Director, and Actor). Now, for its 20th anniversary, the decision has been made to do something Hollywood almost never does during the home video era: a big screen re-release.

How to get people into theaters to watch (or re-watch) Forrest run when it's a lot easier to do it at home? Enter the IMAX gimmick. Calling it anything less crass would be dishonest since there's no inherent reason why Forrest Gump should be bulked up for IMAX (or pseudo-IMAX, depending on how one views the smaller AMC version of the product). Still, commercial considerations aside, there's something majestic about watching this tall tale unfold on a larger screen than one can find in the average family room. The IMAX format is a nice way to entice some viewers to see the movie in a theater while maintaining the original composition.

The original review holds up today because, unlike some decades-old motion pictures, this one doesn't seem dated. It wears its age well. Here's what I wrote in 1994 when the movie was first released:

Ever find the grind of life getting you down? Is the day-to-day struggle threatening to drag you under? If so, there is a movie out there that can replenish your energy and refresh your outlook. Passionate and magical, Forrest Gump is a tonic for the weary of spirit. For those who feel that being set adrift in a season of action movies is like wandering into a desert, the oasis lies ahead.

Back when Tom Hanks' movie career was relatively new, the actor made a film called Big, which told the story of a young boy forced to grow up fast as a result of an ill-advised wish made at a carnival. In some ways, Forrest Gump represents a return to the themes of that earlier movie. In this case, the main character remains a child in heart and spirit, even as his body grows to maturity. Hanks is called upon yet again to play the innocent.

Forrest Gump (Hanks), named after a civil war hero, grows up in Greenbow, Alabama, where his mother (Sally Field) runs a boarding house. Although Forrest is a little "slow" (his IQ is 75, 5 below the state's definition of "normal"), his mental impairment doesn't seem to bother him, his mother, or his best (and only) friend, Jenny Curran (played as an adult by Robin Wright). In fact, the naiveté that comes through a limited understanding of the world around him gives Forrest a uniquely positive perspective on life. Across the span of the next thirty years, Forrest becomes a star football player, a war hero, a successful businessman, and a pop icon. Through it all, however, there is one defining element in his life: his love for Jenny. She is never far from his thoughts, no matter what he's doing or where he is.

A trio of assets lifts Forrest Gump above the average "life story" (melo)drama: its optimism, freshness, and emotional honesty. Though the movie does not seek to reduce every member of the audience to tears, it has moments whose power comes from their simplicity. Equally as important is laughter, and Forrest Gump has moments of humor strewn throughout.

During the 60s and 70s, no topic more inflamed the turbulent national consciousness than that of Vietnam and those who were sent overseas to fight. Forrest, as might be expected, has a singular viewpoint on his time spent there: "We took long walks and were always looking for this guy named Charlie." This observation emphasizes the essence of the title character's nature.

Through the miracle of visual effects, Forrest meets his fair share of famous people - George Wallace, Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon, and John Lennon. While mixing the real footage of these notables with new images featuring Hanks is not a seamless process, the result is nevertheless effective. (This is a precursor of what would become commonplace in future films as the effects work employed here became refined.)

Forrest Gump has several messages, few of which require much digging into the subtext to unearth. The most frequently recurring theme is an admonition not to give up on life. Why surrender when you don't know what lies ahead? By contrasting Forrest's life with the lives of those around him, and by showing how the passage of time brings solace to even the most embittered hearts, the movie underlines this point.

Tom Hanks won 1994's Academy Award for Philadelphia , but his performance here is more nuanced. [With Forrest Gump , he would become only the second man to win back-to-back Lead Actor Oscars, joining Spencer Tracy.] The Alabama accent may seem a little awkward at first, but it doesn't take long for the acting to dwarf the twang. Hanks fashions a human character free of guile and deceit, and barely able to comprehend a concept like evil. Robin Wright gives the best performance of her career, surpassing what she accomplished in The Playboys . Looking and seeming like a younger Jessica Lange, she is believable as the object of Forrest's undying affection. The scene-stealer, however, is Gary Sinise. A renowned stage director and actor, Sinise is probably best known to film-goers (to the extent that he is known at all) for his portrayal of George in 1992's Of Mice and Men (which he also directed). In this movie, his portrayal of Lieutenant Dan Taylor is riveting. The passion and pain he brings to the middle portions of Forrest Gump hold together some of the film's weaker moments.

The soundtrack boasts a variety of sounds of the era - perhaps too wide a variety. Often, music can be useful in establishing a mood, but Forrest Gump rockets into the realm of overkill. There are sequences when the choice of song is inspired (the use of "Running on Empty" for Forrest's "long run" comes to mind), but the soundtrack could have used a little pruning. There are times when it seems as much designed to sell CDs as to cement the setting.

Ultimately, however, any such gripes about Forrest Gump are minor. This is a marvelous motion picture -- a mint julep on a hot summer's afternoon.

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Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Cast Away (2000)
Apollo 13 (1995)
Angels & Demons (2009)
Inferno (2016)
Circle, The (2017)
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The (2011) (2011)
Princess Bride, The (1987)
Wonder Woman (2017)
Toys (1992)
Rampart (2011)
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
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Forrest gump: 25th anniversary blu-ray review.

Forrest Gump — 25th Anniversary — (1994)

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Romance Paramount | PG13 – 141 min. – $14.99 | May 7, 2019

Date Published: 06/04/2019 | Author: The Movieman

Paramount Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.

Check out some more 1080p screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers .

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Forrest Gump (1994) Movie Review

Last Updated on October 2, 2021 by Sean Donlevy

Given what a huge success “Forrest Gump” was when it was first presented in movie theaters in 1994 and given how many Oscars it won, one would have easily thought that Hollywood had found a new golden theme to make a movie on. In fact, it did not. The following year did not offer films with surviving heroes or the same reverence for American domestic political history that there was obviously a big craving for.

This may not be something to mourn, as it is not uncommon for Hollywood to exploit good ideas, but we hardly believe it is the goodness behind it, but rather that “Forrest Gump” has a rather unique script at its core.

The script, in turn, is based on a novel by Winston Groom. Tom Hanks was a star even before “Forrest Gump” but it should not be denied that the film gave him another powerful push up to the sky and brought him to the top amongst actors. Despite the number of computer effects that the man is forced to work for, he does every move and articulation in a totally convincing way. The film follows Forrest through his life where Mum and his childhood friend and later love interest Jenny play the biggest roles. Forrest slides through life and, apparently, accidentally gets to go to college, ends up in the army, becomes a ping-pong professional, shrimp captain, and more. Through an epic storytelling style, we get to follow Forrest and those closest to him and see how fate shapes his life.

There is no doubt that the film is a storytelling genius. It skips all conventional dramatic conventions – for example, there are no major twists in history and one can never be entirely sure what happens next. A story is often predictable because, as a spectator, you have learned to interpret the usual dramatic structure, where we usually have our protagonist and our antagonist and the moment when the two schools meet. “Forrest Gump” sneaks past the conventions and captivates the viewer in a way that is quite fascinating as well as unusual and it is of course that “Forrest Gump” is not a cheat building – here is a story and it can be told in whatever way it is told on.

“Forrest Gump” was also a sobering step forward for special effects in the film. As one of the first films, they actually fool the viewer in a rather unexpected way. Since we know that Tom Hanks never met John F. Kennedy, we see the trick scene where he does it with some skepticism, just as we have always seen special effects before. However, when we see Gary Sinise with amputated legs, we do not think for a moment that this is done in a computer and it is precisely in these scenes that the effects in the film are so groundbreaking. Effects need not be explosions and monsters, it may as well be a man’s amputated leg.

The actors are top-notch, the effects brilliant and the storytelling technique impeccable. The very essence of the film is random – from the first scene with the swirling feather to the last, the film tries to show us how randomness governs our lives and that one should seize the chances when it comes. Now, though, if you take a closer look at the movie, it is not at all by chance that governs Forrest’s life, but Mom, God, and the government. It is also thanks to these three elements that things are going well for Forrest in life.

If we take a closer look at the girl Forrest loves, Jenny, then they are each other’s complete opposites. Jenny is impulsive and intelligent and questions her existence and governing power while growing up with an intense hatred of her destructive father. What happens to this seemingly healthy girl in life?

She gets stripped, gets beaten by her boyfriend, gets stuck in the crap, and finally dies in AIDS. The message in the movie, in the light of this reasoning, becomes pretty clear – do what Mommy, God and the State say to you, it will go well for you in life, no matter how stupid in your head you are. Personally, I think it’s a pretty awful message, but the worst part of all is that the film pretends to say something different and I find it both unnecessary and old-fashioned when the film is so groundbreaking in other ways.

If I had to choose one of Tom Hank’s films as his best, it will undoubtedly be Forrest Gump. He has done many different roles and usually succeeds in interpreting odd characters. Admittedly, you can say that Forrest Gump is odd, yet he somehow personifies the best in us all.

Forrest is not very smart. He is on the lower side of the scale in terms of intellectual ability. But instead, he is a champion at EQ. We meet him the first time he sits on a bark bench and reflects on his life.

There is also a lot of humor and Forrest has the ability to take care of the universe, while taking care of everything and everyone. Not least his best friend Jenny Curran (Robin Wright), whose sad history makes her feel comfortable with Forrest. Besides, she understands him better than many others, even though his mom (Sally Field) does everything for him.

The best thing about Forrest Gump is that there is such a clear red thread throughout the story. The theme is clear and it is a theme that is needed more than ever today. You don’t have to be the smartest or best at math, everyone is needed and everyone can make a difference. Watch Forrest Gump today and be reminded of how important it really is to be kind.

That said, the movie is well worth its Oscars in respective areas. Still, every thinking person should be a little suspicious of what the movie really is trying to mediate.

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Saturday 26 March 2016

Movie review: forrest gump (1994).

I'm a history buff - as regular readers of my blogs no doubt know - so I enjoyed the way that Forrest wound up being in the vicinity of - if not directly involved in - most of the significant events in American history in the latter 20th century. Forrest Gump Dan spent a good amount of time cursing Forrest for saving his life (he had lost both of his legs).

We welcome reader comments about this post.

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Forrest Gump Parent Guide

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Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) is a simple man who manages to find his way into some of the most complicated historical moments of the 20th century.

Release date September 5, 2014

Run Time: 142 minutes

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by rod gustafson.

Forrest Gump is a critic’s dream. Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Gary Sinise, and all the rest of the cast hand in superlative performances. The special effects are almost invisible, as they place Gump into the past so he can meet many historical figures. Yet every time I watch this movie, I am left with a hard question to answer: What is the film really trying to say?

Forrest Gump (played by Tom Hanks) is a simple man, a popular theme in movies as the public yearns for a way to strip complications from life. Yet Forrest encounters complications—he just doesn’t see them. Like a dog headed for dinner, his sights are set on his goal and nothing stops him from getting there. He has complete trust in everyone he meets, and accepts everyone into his life, no matter how they might treat him. He believes in God, prays regularly, and tries to do good wherever he goes. In this regard, Forrest Gump is a movie that promotes strong positive ideals, and helps you appreciate that the best people in this world are often overlooked.

Forrest Gump offers many artistic and technical achievements. However parents are well advised to heed the PG-13 warning. Gump has a good deal of foul language, sex, and violence, relative to what’s appropriate for family viewing. As parents, if your children want to see this movie, please watch it before, or at least with them.

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Forrest gump rating & content info.

Why is Forrest Gump rated PG-13? Forrest Gump is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for drug content, some sensuality and war violence

Page last updated July 17, 2017

Forrest Gump Parents' Guide

What do you think Forrest Gump is trying to say? Because the main character doesn’t understand the complexities of the situations he, the viewer of the film is expected to interpret. Despite this freedom, how does the script manipulate the audience?

The most recent home video release of Forrest Gump movie is December 9, 2014. Here are some details…

Related news about Forrest Gump

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The Actor Behind Forrest Gump

This essay is about the portrayal of Forrest Gump by Tom Hanks. It highlights how Hanks brought the iconic character to life with unparalleled charm and authenticity, capturing the essence of innocence amidst historical events. His performance resonated with audiences, embodying values of resilience and hope. Through Hanks’ portrayal, Forrest Gump became more than a fictional character, symbolizing optimism in adversity and leaving an indelible mark on popular culture. At PapersOwl too, you can discover numerous free essay illustrations related to Actor.

How it works

Who played Forrest Gump? It’s a question that has lingered in the minds of movie enthusiasts since the iconic character graced the silver screen. The answer lies not only in the name of the actor but also in the profound impact his portrayal had on audiences worldwide.

Tom Hanks, a Hollywood veteran revered for his versatility and depth, brought Forrest Gump to life with unparalleled charm and authenticity. In the annals of cinematic history, his performance stands as a masterclass in the art of character portrayal, earning him accolades and adoration in equal measure.

From the moment Hanks stepped into the shoes of the lovable, albeit simple-minded, protagonist, he imbued Forrest Gump with a tender vulnerability and an unwavering sincerity that resonated with audiences of all ages. His portrayal captured the essence of innocence amidst a tumultuous backdrop of historical events, inviting viewers to embark on an emotional journey through laughter, tears, and introspection.

What set Hanks apart in his portrayal of Forrest Gump was his innate ability to embody the nuances of the character’s journey—from his endearing naivety to his moments of profound wisdom. With each earnest smile and heartfelt utterance, Hanks breathed life into Forrest Gump, transforming him from a mere fictional creation into an indelible symbol of resilience and hope.

But Hanks’ brilliance extended beyond mere imitation; it lay in his ability to infuse Forrest Gump with an unmistakable humanity that transcended the boundaries of the screen. Through his portrayal, Hanks reminded us of the power of empathy, the strength of kindness, and the beauty of simplicity—values that resonate as strongly today as they did upon the film’s release.

Forrest Gump, as portrayed by Tom Hanks, remains etched in the collective consciousness as an emblem of optimism in the face of adversity. His endearing quirks and unwavering optimism served as a beacon of light in a world fraught with uncertainty, inspiring generations to embrace life’s journey with open hearts and boundless courage.

Beyond the accolades and box office success, Hanks’ portrayal of Forrest Gump left an indelible mark on popular culture, spawning a plethora of catchphrases and iconic moments that continue to endure to this day. Whether it’s the image of Forrest sitting on a park bench, recounting his extraordinary life story to strangers, or his timeless declaration that “life is like a box of chocolates,” Hanks’ performance has become synonymous with cinematic excellence.

In retrospect, the question of who played Forrest Gump pales in comparison to the profound impact of Tom Hanks’ portrayal. Through his transcendent performance, Hanks not only brought a beloved character to life but also touched the hearts of millions around the globe. Forrest Gump may have been a fictional character, but in the hands of Tom Hanks, he became so much more—a testament to the enduring power of storytelling and the transformative nature of cinema.

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"The Actor Behind Forrest Gump." PapersOwl.com , 27 Feb 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-actor-behind-forrest-gump/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Actor Behind Forrest Gump . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-actor-behind-forrest-gump/ [Accessed: 12 Apr. 2024]

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"The Actor Behind Forrest Gump," PapersOwl.com , 27-Feb-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-actor-behind-forrest-gump/. [Accessed: 12-Apr-2024]

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The 19 most offensive movies ever made, from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to Forrest Gump

Louis chilton selects some of the most controversial movies ever released, article bookmarked.

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Tom Hanks in ‘Forrest Gump’, Harrison Ford in ‘Temple of Doom’ and Brad Pitt in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'

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M any filmmakers yearn for their work to be at the centre of a public conversation . But it’s not always a good thing.

Sometimes, movies – even great ones – are put under the microscope for problematic characters, plotlines or moments.

Often, this is a result of changing social standards . Films like The Jazz Singer utilised blackface at a time when it was more or less completely socially acceptable. Watch it now, however, and you’ll likely be mortified.

Other films, of course, are problematic the moment they hit cinemas – such as Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood .

In some cases, the question of whether or not a film is offensive can provoke strong debate among fans and even those involved in making the film. Last year, Michael Caine was in the news after hitting back at claims that the 1964 film Zulu was a “key text” for white supremecists .

Whatever the reason, it’s clear that the history of cinema is littered with examples of films that have become difficult to watch.

Here are 19 of the most problematic films ever made.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Stanley Kubrick’s controversial – and, for many years, banned – adaptation of Anthony Burgess’s cult novel is certainly not without its problematic elements, most famously the sickening depiction of rape. It wasn’t just the public who found Kubrick’s film unsavory: the filmmaker himself pushed for A Clockwork Orange to be removed from cinemas amid fears of copycat violence.

American Beauty (1999)

Sam Mendes’s suburb-set Best Picture winner would be problematic today even if it weren’t for the allegations against lead actor Kevin Spacey. As it is, Spacey’s involvement adds a whole other layer of discomfort to this story of a middle aged father who lusts after his teenage daughter’s friend (Mena Suvari). A topless scene involving a then 16-year-old Thora Birch also would also likely raise eyebrows today.

The Birth of a Nation (1915)

Many of the most overtly racist films of early cinema have been omitted from this list – describing, for instance, the works of Leni Reifenstahl as “problematic” wouldn’t quite cut it. But DW Griffith’s Birth of a Nation is still celebrated to this day as a revolutionary cinematic milestone, despite its foul and pervasive racism. Some modern film historians have argued that Griffith’s cinematic “innovations” actually originated elsewhere – but even if they weren’t, there’s no excusing this horrific celebration of the KKK.

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Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

This enduringly popular Audrey Hepburn vehicle features one of the most infamous racist caricatures of all time. Mickey Rooney plays the bucktoothed, heavily accented Japanese landlord Mr Yunioshi, a grotesque stereotype. Decades after the film’s release, both director Blake Edwards and Rooney himself had expressed regret at the offensive inclusion.

Dumbo (1941)

Many of Disney’s early animated movies (and some of the later ones) contain countless problematic elements. Dumbo is infamous for its racism, with the characters of the talking crows – voiced in a caricaturish African-American dialect – particularly damning.

Flash Gordon (1980)

Most sci-fi films from the 1970s and 1980s have tended to age poorly – but this is usually down to shoddy special effects. Flash Gordon , however, is dated for a different reason: the insidious character of “Ming the Merciless”, played by Max von Sydow. The broad, racist villain figure caused the BBFC to raise Flash Gordon ’s age rating in 2020, with a warning about “discriminatory stereotypes” added to its recent re-release.

Forrest Gump (1994)

Robert Zemeckis’s Forrest Gump could well be one of the most problematic films ever made – and certainly one of the most to have won Best Picture. Whether we’re talking about Tom Hanks’s broad, cartoonish portrayal of a man with learning disabilities, the film’s puritanical slut-shaming towards Robin Wright’s Jenny, or everything to do with its handling of race, Gump is one rancid box of chocolates.

Gone with the Wind (1939)

A confirmed favourite film of one Donald J Trump, this American epic has been accused of whitewashing the horrors of slavery and looking at the civil war through rose-tinted glasses. A scandal engulfed the film anew in 2020 when it was temporarily removed from streaming service HBO Max due to its problematic elements.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

This follow-up to Steven Spielberg’s timeless adventure throwback Raiders of the Lost Ark featured plenty of memorable set-pieces and high-wire derring-do – as well as a lot of unfortunate racism. Temple ’s potrayal of India is rife with troubling and outdated stereotypes, leading to the film being banned in India when it was released. Meanwhile, Kate Capshaw’s Willie Scott is every bit the problematic damsel in distress.

The Jazz Singer (1927)

Al Jolson’s musical film The Jazz Singer will forever hold a place in film history as the movie which heralded the onset of the age of the “Talkie”. However, it’s not such an easy watch these days, thanks largely to the blackface used by Jolson during his performance. At the time, of course, blackface and minstrel shows were not widely considered offensive.

Last Tango in Paris (1972)

Sometimes, films become problematic after behind-the-scenes stories come to light – which happened in the horrifying case of Last Tango in Paris . In the film’s most infamous scene, Marlon Brando’s character rapes a young woman from Paris (the late Maria Schneider), using a stick of butter as lubricant. Schneider later spoke out about filming the scene, claiming that it was not in the script. “I was so angry,” she said. “Marlon said to me, ‘Maria, don’t worry, it’s just a movie,’ but during the scene, even though what Marlon was doing wasn’t real, I was crying real tears. I felt humiliated and to be honest, I felt a little raped, both by Marlon and by [director Bernado Bertolucci].”

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

This groundbreaking epic from David Lean is a long, expensive and thematically dense work of real cinematic bombast. While there are complexities to its handling of race, critics have argued that its portrayal of TE Lawrence’s (Peter O’Toole) exploits in the Middle East are wrapped up in problematic “white saviour” narratives. Furthermore, Alec Guiness’s casting – as Prince Faisal – wouldn’t fly today, particularly given the actor’s use of brownface.

Manhattan (1979)

Can you ever truly separate the art from the artist? Everyone has their own take on the issue, but it’s particularly hard with a film like Manhattan . Woody Allen, whose late career has been coloured by long-denied allegations of child sexual abuse, directs and stars in this black-and-white romcom which pairs his 42-year-old character with a 17-year-old high school student love interest, played by Mariel Hemingway.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

Quentin Tarantino is no stranger to a little controversy, and his 1960s-set Hollywood epic is up there with his most provocative works. While some films stumble into their problematic reputations over time, Once Upon a Time was scandalising from the get-go – as Tarantino contrived a perverse redemption arc for wife-killer Cliff Boothe (Brad Pitt) by having him brutally fustigate a cadre of young female assailants.

The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Mel Gibson’s biblical epic has been widely criticised for its depiction of Jewish people in the retelling of Jesus’s story. If you take into account the context of Gibson’s own offscreen antisemitism scandal, there’s plenty of cause for unease in watching this gory religious drama.

The Searchers (1956)

Racism abounded in old Hollywood films, particularly in westerns, which frequently saw white heroes butt up against Native American or Mexican foes. The Searchers , John Ford’s seminal 1956 western, was, on the one hand, a scathing indictment of the corrosive evil of racial hatred. On the other hand, it has also long been accused of racism itself in its problematic handling of its Native American characters.

Sixteen Candles (1984)

The feel-good films of John Hughes have come under a lot of scrutiny in recent years, with projects from The Breakfast Club to Weird Science to Uncle Buck facing censure for outdated racial and sexual content. Sixteen Candles may be Hughes’s worst offender, thanks to a shockingly cavalier plotline involving date rape. There was also the regrettable inclusion of Long Duk Dong, a discomforting Asian stereotype played by Gedde Watanabe.

Trading Places (1983)

This rags-to-riches (and vice versa) comedy starring Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd boasts a number of button-pushing scenes, including a supposedly lighthearted gag in which a character is sexually assaulted by a gorilla. However, it’s the scene of Dan Akroyd in blackface which remains most unpalatable – and makes this otherwise enjoyable movie a tough watch today.

Zulu (1964)

Cy Endfield’s well-regarded war drama depicts the Battle of Rorke’s Drift, which took place during the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. Zulu has been accused by some critics of racism, with recent research by William Shawcross suggesting that the film could provide inspiration for “white nationalists and supremacists”. Michael Caine, who starred in the film, has described this claim as “the biggest load of bulls***”.

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9 movies you might not know were filmed in South Carolina

Posted: April 11, 2024 | Last updated: April 11, 2024

<p>The magic of Hollywood is that oftentimes movies aren't filmed anywhere near where they purport to be taking place. California may be home to Hollywood, but so many of your favorite films were set against backdrops far removed from the glitterati of the West Coast.</p><p>With huge studios like Warner Bros., MGM, and RKO Pictures churning out film after film during the heyday of the silver screen, California made a name for itself as the cornerstone for all things movies. As the industry has continued to shift, however, that has begun to change.</p><p>From the need for more rural settings to a director's desire to get everything as historically accurate as possible, not to mention the attractive tax incentives offered by states outside of California, crews are increasingly enticed to look elsewhere when filming. More and more, shoots take place in the most unexpected places in a quest to entertain, and sometimes, to make film history. Have you ever wondered where the Cullen house in the "Twilight" movies actually is? (The answer is Oregon.) How about the location of where the wasteland astronauts trekked in "Planet of the Apes" from 1968? (Answer: Arizona.)</p><p>With that in mind, <a href="https://www.stacker.com/south-carolina">Stacker</a> compiled a list of movies filmed in South Carolina using data from <a href="https://movie-locations.com/">Movie Locations</a>. Additional information about each film was collected from <a href="https://www.imdb.com/">IMDb</a>. Some films may have been omitted due to data dissimilarities and lack of corresponding information found on IMDb.</p>

Which movies were filmed in South Carolina?

The magic of Hollywood is that oftentimes movies aren't filmed anywhere near where they purport to be taking place. California may be home to Hollywood, but so many of your favorite films were set against backdrops far removed from the glitterati of the West Coast.

With huge studios like Warner Bros., MGM, and RKO Pictures churning out film after film during the heyday of the silver screen, California made a name for itself as the cornerstone for all things movies. As the industry has continued to shift, however, that has begun to change.

From the need for more rural settings to a director's desire to get everything as historically accurate as possible, not to mention the attractive tax incentives offered by states outside of California, crews are increasingly enticed to look elsewhere when filming. More and more, shoots take place in the most unexpected places in a quest to entertain, and sometimes, to make film history. Have you ever wondered where the Cullen house in the "Twilight" movies actually is? (The answer is Oregon.) How about the location of where the wasteland astronauts trekked in "Planet of the Apes" from 1968? (Answer: Arizona.)

With that in mind, Stacker compiled a list of movies filmed in South Carolina using data from Movie Locations . Additional information about each film was collected from IMDb . Some films may have been omitted due to data dissimilarities and lack of corresponding information found on IMDb.

<p>- Director: Richard Holm<br>- IMDb user rating: 6.5 (197 reviews)<br>- Runtime: 103 minutes<br>- Genres: Action, Drama, and Thriller<br>- Cast: Casper Berglund, Nina Boström, and Lina Brännström</p>

The Abyss (2023)

- Director: Richard Holm - IMDb user rating: 6.5 (197 reviews) - Runtime: 103 minutes - Genres: Action, Drama, and Thriller - Cast: Casper Berglund, Nina Boström, and Lina Brännström

<p>- Director: Lawrence Kasdan<br>- IMDb user rating: 7.1 (40K reviews)<br>- Runtime: 105 minutes<br>- Genres: Comedy and Drama<br>- Cast: Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, and Jeff Goldblum</p>

The Big Chill (1983)

- Director: Lawrence Kasdan - IMDb user rating: 7.1 (40K reviews) - Runtime: 105 minutes - Genres: Comedy and Drama - Cast: Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, and Jeff Goldblum

<p>- Director: Anthony Minghella<br>- IMDb user rating: 7.2 (153K reviews)<br>- Runtime: 154 minutes<br>- Genres: Adventure, Drama, and Romance<br>- Cast: Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renée Zellweger</p>

Cold Mountain (2003)

- Director: Anthony Minghella - IMDb user rating: 7.2 (153K reviews) - Runtime: 154 minutes - Genres: Adventure, Drama, and Romance - Cast: Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renée Zellweger

<p>- Director: Lasse Hallström<br>- IMDb user rating: 6.3 (155K reviews)<br>- Runtime: 108 minutes<br>- Genres: Drama, Romance, and War<br>- Cast: Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, and Richard Jenkins</p>

Dear John (2010)

- Director: Lasse Hallström - IMDb user rating: 6.3 (155K reviews) - Runtime: 108 minutes - Genres: Drama, Romance, and War - Cast: Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, and Richard Jenkins

<p>- Director: John Boorman<br>- IMDb user rating: 7.7 (116K reviews)<br>- Runtime: 109 minutes<br>- Genres: Adventure, Drama, and Thriller<br>- Cast: Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, and Ned Beatty</p>

Deliverance (1972)

- Director: John Boorman - IMDb user rating: 7.7 (116K reviews) - Runtime: 109 minutes - Genres: Adventure, Drama, and Thriller - Cast: Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, and Ned Beatty

<p>- Director: John McTiernan<br>- IMDb user rating: 7.6 (400K reviews)<br>- Runtime: 128 minutes<br>- Genres: Action, Adventure, and Thriller<br>- Cast: Bruce Willis, Jeremy Irons, and Samuel L. Jackson</p>

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

- Director: John McTiernan - IMDb user rating: 7.6 (400K reviews) - Runtime: 128 minutes - Genres: Action, Adventure, and Thriller - Cast: Bruce Willis, Jeremy Irons, and Samuel L. Jackson

<p>- Director: Robert Zemeckis<br>- IMDb user rating: 8.8 (2.2M reviews)<br>- Runtime: 142 minutes<br>- Genres: Drama and Romance<br>- Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, and Gary Sinise</p>

Forrest Gump (1994)

- Director: Robert Zemeckis - IMDb user rating: 8.8 (2.2M reviews) - Runtime: 142 minutes - Genres: Drama and Romance - Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, and Gary Sinise

<p>- Director: Nick Cassavetes<br>- IMDb user rating: 7.8 (599K reviews)<br>- Runtime: 123 minutes<br>- Genres: Drama and Romance<br>- Cast: Gena Rowlands, James Garner, and Rachel McAdams</p>

The Notebook (2004)

- Director: Nick Cassavetes - IMDb user rating: 7.8 (599K reviews) - Runtime: 123 minutes - Genres: Drama and Romance - Cast: Gena Rowlands, James Garner, and Rachel McAdams

<p>- Director: Roland Emmerich<br>- IMDb user rating: 7.2 (287K reviews)<br>- Runtime: 165 minutes<br>- Genres: Action, Drama, and History<br>- Cast: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, and Joely Richardson</p><p><i>This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Olivia Monahan, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 48 states.</i></p>

The Patriot (2000)

- Director: Roland Emmerich - IMDb user rating: 7.2 (287K reviews) - Runtime: 165 minutes - Genres: Action, Drama, and History - Cast: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, and Joely Richardson

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I Hate Running. I Trick My Brain Into Doing It Anyway.

When your mind hates running even more than your body does, you have to strategize.

An illustration of a person running in front of a natural landscape wearing a baseball hat, T-shirt and shorts with an AirPod in his visible ear. A dog runs by his side.

By Erik Vance

It’s common knowledge in my household that Monday at 5:55 a.m. is the worst time of the week. That’s because Monday is a running day, and I hate running.

I have always hated running. In elementary school, I dreaded the mile run test and was always in the back with my fellow gym class rejects. In college, I was the only baseball player who could stretch a double into a single.

I’m 6 feet 7 inches tall and overly leggy, with knees that wobble in six different directions when I run. And yet, it’s crucial — especially in middle age — to challenge one’s body with a little intense exercise every week.

I don’t have access to a pool or lake, my ceilings are too low for trampolines and doing more than one HIIT workout per week quickly gets boring. Running offers intensity while distracting me with pretty scenery. Besides, 20 minutes later, I feel amazing.

After years of tinkering with ways to start running, I have finally come up with a three-part recipe for learning to tolerate this horrible form of exercise.

But before you start, make sure you are doing fun movements on other days. If your only exercise is running and, like me, you hate it, you won’t stick with it. Walk if you like that, swim if it’s your jam. I have a kickboxing dummy, a pull-up bar and some battle ropes that I genuinely look forward to using. Don’t make every workout a slog.

Hack No. 1: Reprogram your brain.

In past stories for the Well desk, we have mentioned the importance of “ reward bundling .” That’s a fancy term for treating yourself every time you do something that you don’t want to. But what we haven’t said is that reward bundling can actually train your brain as if you were a drooling dog.

Here’s how it works: One of my favorite podcasts is a movie review show called “The Rewatchables,” with Bill Simmons. I listen so often that I feel like Bill and his crew are actually my friends. But I never allow myself to listen unless I am running or getting ready to run. Ever.

This was essential, because in the short term, I started to look forward to running just so I could hang out with my imaginary friends and get their takes on “Forrest Gump” or whatever. And over time, something strange happened. I would wake up feeling dead set against running, flip on the podcast and suddenly be in the mood.

Psychologists call this either “classical conditioning” or “that thing that Ivan Pavlov did to his dogs when he pressed a buzzer before dinnertime .” Eventually, every time he did, the dog drooled. Humans are susceptible to this as well; it’s a key part of the placebo effect and modern marketing .

“I love it, it’s like a ritual,” Dr. Luana Colloca, a psychology professor at the University of Maryland and an expert in classical conditioning and placebo effects, said of my method.

Dr. Colloca said that she does something similar, except with smell. Every time she starts a Peloton session, she lights a lemon-scented candle. Now, just smelling that scent subtly puts her in the mood to ride.

Even when she’s not really feeling like exercising, she said, “it’s sort of an automatic response.”

Hack No. 2: Take breaks, but follow the plan.

I was raised to believe that runners run. They don’t walk — that’s for walkers. So I usually run up the small hill near my house and then down a big hill. But on the way back up that monster, I occasionally (OK, fine, almost always) walk.

Every time I slow down or rest, it feels and sounds like failure, often because I’m muttering expletives. But Chris Beedie, a sports psychologist and professor at Kent University, said that I need to realign my thinking.

“We’re not living in the 1970s anymore. There’s no ‘walking is a sign of weakness,’” he chided. “It’s a structured part of your movement.”

If you want to go for a 40-minute run, Mr. Beedie said, plan your timed breaks beforehand, perhaps every 10 minutes. Or plan to take them whenever your heart rate rises to a certain level or when you reach a hill.

Almost all of the serious marathoners he talks to take breaks at some point, and those breaks can even make for faster times overall. However, stopping altogether is not great for the body, he said, so I should try to at least walk. And presumably save my breath by not cursing at the pavement.

Hack No. 3: Get a dog.

Some days, even podcasts and promises of breaks aren’t enough to get me out the door. For that, I have Snitch, a slightly dopey, highly enthusiastic dog who waits at my door every Monday at 5:55 a.m.

Snitch needs exercise like Cookie Monster needs sugar , and if I don’t take her running, there’s a good chance she will take it out on my shoes.

Research suggests that dog owners (especially ones in Scandinavia ) may live longer than the rest of us, presumably because furry friends make us happier and more active. And while some are skeptical of this , I would argue it’s all about the kind of dog you get.

If you are looking for a running partner pet, I recommend a breed that’s athletic, but not too athletic. A pug is no good, but don’t make my mistake either. Snitch is a husky/beagle/gazelle mix who once lasted 16 miles on a set of mountain trails and looked ready for another 16. She’s exhausting. Find a middle ground — friendly with a dash of lazy.

In the end, I can’t promise that you will ever come to enjoy running. I’ve been doing it for two years now and I still mostly hate it. But every now and then, with the sun coming over the mountains, my buddy Bill in my ear and Snitch frolicking like an unhinged hyena at my side, I’m glad I made the effort.

Erik Vance is a staff editor for The Times’s Well desk, where he focuses on coverage of fitness and a healthy lifestyle. More about Erik Vance

A Guide to Becoming a Better Runner

Training to run a marathon? Here’s how to get ready . Preparing to run a shorter distance ? Here’s some guidance .

When your mind hates running even more than your body does, you have to strategize. Try these three hacks .

Starting a new running habit doesn’t have to be hard — all it takes is comfortable shoes, a willingness to move and the right food to fuel up .

Whether you’re an experienced runner or don’t know where to start, a running routine is critical. These tips will help you establish one .

Are you lacing up your running shoes after a long break? Follow these tips to get your groove back .

Shin splints. Achilles tendinitis. Runner’s knee. Dangers abound for runners, but there are ways to prevent them .

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Forrest Gump (1994) Movie Review
Forrest Gump (1994) Movie Review
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Forrest Gump movie review & film summary (1994)

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Forrest Gump movie review & film summary (1994)
Forrest stands next to the schoolhouse door with George Wallace, he teaches Elvis how to swivel his hips, he visits the White House three times, he's on the Dick Cavett show with John Lennon, and in a sequence that will have you rubbing your eyes with its realism, he addresses a Vietnam-era peace rally on the Mall in Washington.Special effects are also used in creating the character of Forrest ...
Forrest Gump
Zemeckis has made a fast movie about a slow hero; he transforms Forrest's daffy misconceptions into lyrical flights. Forrest Gump has a softer, more delicate touch and a richer current of feeling ...
Forrest Gump (1994)
Gump's childhood sweetheart Jenny starts out with high aspirations - she wants to be like Joan Baez and fight for world peace - and instead she winds up disillusioned, drug addicted, and a near suicide before age 30. She doesn't have Forrest's childlike innocence and this leads her to self-doubt and ultimately failure.
Forrest Gump Movie Review
Forrest Gump, a film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring veteran actor Tom Hanks, manages to instill very deep moral values in every scene. The film, which was made in 1994, deserves to be called the best film of all time. The film, based on the novel by Winston Groom, tells the story of a man named Forrest Gump.
Review: Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump, a romantic epic starring Tom Hanks as a slow but sweet-souled Alabama boy who lucks into nearly every headline event of the past 40 years, is the summer sensation: a popular hit and ...
Forrest Gump
Full Review | Mar 1, 2024. Forrest Gump is about as good as Hollywood movies get. Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Mar 1, 2024. Hanks' immersion in character and his convincing interaction ...
Forrest Gump
A sweeping look at thirty tumultuous years of American history seen through the eyes of the charmed simpleton Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks). X Register 1994 ... Universal Acclaim Based on 20 Critic Reviews. 82. 90% Positive 18 Reviews. 10% Mixed 2 Reviews. 0% Negative ... Forrest Gump is my favorite movie of all time because of history, presidents ...
'Forrest Gump' Review: 1994 Movie
On July 6, 1994, Paramount unveiled Robert Zemeckis' Forrest Gump in theaters. The Tom Hanks satire would go on to win six Oscars at the 67th Academy Awards, including best picture. The ...
Forrest Gump
Running time: 142 MIN. With: Forrest Gump - Tom Hanks Jenny Curran - Robin Wright Lt. Dan Taylor - Gary Sinise Bubba Blue - Mykelti Williamson Mrs. Gump - Sally Field Young Forrest - Michael ...
Forrest Gump (1994)
Forrest Gump: Directed by Robert Zemeckis. With Tom Hanks, Rebecca Williams, Sally Field, Michael Conner Humphreys. The history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.
Forrest Gump
Gump does because, despite the fact that his IQ is around 75 - only about 10 higher than your average critic - he is somehow touched, perhaps because of his virtue, by a God-like array of talents.
BBC
Forrest Gump (1994) (1994) It could be said that Forrest Gump is the definitive American movie. After all, it's historical, patriotic and it's got a dunce as the hero. A loving and friendly dunce ...
Forrest Gump Review
Forrest Gump (Hanks) is short on I.Q. points but long on heart, a pure and simple soul who follows a straight path through the world, ever true to the homely advice of his mother (Field) - the ...
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump. By Peter Travers. July 6, 1994. Forrest Gump is a movie heart-breaker of oddball wit and startling grace. There's talk of another Oscar for Tom Hanks, who is unforgettable as the ...
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth.It is an adaptation of the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Sally Field.. The film follows the life of an Alabama man named Forrest Gump (Hanks) and his experiences in the 20th-century United States.
'Forrest Gump'
The story of Forrest Gump takes place over the tumultuous and transformative decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s when America went through a number of political, social, and economic changes. One of the true delights of this film is seeing how many of these changes Forrest witnesses and is actually apart of.
Forrest Gump
A trio of assets lifts Forrest Gump above the average "life story" (melo)drama: its optimism, freshness, and emotional honesty. Though the movie does not seek to reduce every member of the audience to tears, it has moments whose power comes from their simplicity. Equally as important is laughter, and Forrest Gump has moments of humor strewn ...
Movie Review: "Forrest Gump" (1994)
Those two features sit at #8 and #1 respectively on IMDB's top 250 movies of all time. We love both of these films, but we ultimately believe the amount of hate "Forrest Gump" has gotten is unwarranted because it is actually a fantastic movie in its own right. It may be one of the greatest feel-good movies in all of cinematic history.
Forrest Gump: 25th Anniversary Blu-ray Review
But one person Forrest cares about most may be the most difficult to save - his childhood love, the sweet but troubled Jenny (ROBIN WRIGHT). Review: Forrest Gump is an oddly controversial film, some calling it a brilliant masterpiece and many others absolutely hating it, with few in the middle. I was part of the few upon my first viewing ...
Forrest Gump (1994) Movie Review
Forrest slides through life and, apparently, accidentally gets to go to college, ends up in the army, becomes a ping-pong professional, shrimp captain, and more. Through an epic storytelling style, we get to follow Forrest and those closest to him and see how fate shapes his life. There is no doubt that the film is a storytelling genius.
Movie Review: Forrest Gump (1994)
Movie Review: Forrest Gump (1994) A comedy-drama about the American dream in the 20th century, Forrest Gump is an irresistible romp through pop culture history with one simpleton who is always in the right place at the right time. The film is mostly told in flashback, with Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) sitting at a bus stop recounting his story to a ...
Forrest Gump Movie Review for Parents
Forrest Gump is a critic's dream. Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Gary Sinise, and all the rest of the cast hand in superlative performances. The special effects are almost invisible, as they place Gump into the past so he can meet many historical figures.
Movie Review: 'Forrest Gump' Is Dark and Cynical, Not Heartwarming
That's pretty dark. Forrest Gump is dark enough to please a Pulp Fiction fan, as indeed it pleased Pulp Fiction 's creator. Kyle Smith is a fellow at National Review Institute and 's critic ...
Top 15 Movie Moms: The Best on the Big Screen
1 / 15. Mrs. Gump — Forrest Gump ©Bolavip US. Sally Field portrays Mrs. Gump, the mother of the titular character, Forrest Gump. Mrs. Gump is a loving and supportive mother who imparts valuable ...
The Actor Behind Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump, as portrayed by Tom Hanks, remains etched in the collective consciousness as an emblem of optimism in the face of adversity. His endearing quirks and unwavering optimism served as a beacon of light in a world fraught with uncertainty, inspiring generations to embrace life's journey with open hearts and boundless courage. Beyond ...
The 19 most offensive movies ever made, from Once Upon a Time in
Forrest Gump (1994) Robert Zemeckis's Forrest Gump could well be one of the most problematic films ever made - and certainly one of the most to have won Best Picture.
9 movies you might not know were filmed in South Carolina
Stacker compiled a list of movies filmed in South Carolina using data from Movie Locations, with additional information about each film collected from IMDb. ... Forrest Gump (1994) - Director ...
I Hate Running. I Trick My Brain Into Doing It Anyway
Hack No. 2: Take breaks, but follow the plan. I was raised to believe that runners run. They don't walk — that's for walkers. So I usually run up the small hill near my house and then down a ...

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