FilmJudge - Forrest Gump

REVIEW

Forrest Gump
1994
Certificate: 12 | Runtime: 142 | Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright Penn, Gary Sinise

Forrest Gump (Hanks) is a simple man from Alabama who leads an extraordinary life. After college, the enthusiastic young Forrest signs up for the Vietnam War, and becomes a highly decorated veteran. It is there that he meets Lieutenant Darren Taylor (Sinise). He starts his own shrimping company, runs across the country, and plays table tennis for the USA. Furthermore, from an early age Forrest has been in love with Jenny Curran (Wright Penn), whose path he will cross throughout their very separate lives.

Forrest Gump has become one of the 'fasionable to hate' Best Picture winners. Upon its original release, it came in for a degree of criticism in America for allegedly propagating an anti-intellectual agenda. It was seen by some as an endorsement of how terrific life can be if people are ignorant and just shut up and do as they're told. That's one way of looking at the film, but it's also a hugely inaccurate and unfair way in which to do it. Forrest himself might not be intellectual, but he certainly isn't anti-intellectual; he's a free spirit, and a man who demonstrates how ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Forrest Gump is a film that shows how much we can affect history at the same time as simply passing through it. It's absolutely magical entertainment.

Tom Hanks won his second Oscar in as many years for his performance here, and out of the two (the other being in Philadelphia), I consider this one to be vastly superior. Forrest may well be a simpleton if you judge him purely on his IQ, but just like all of us he is a hugely complicated individual. There's an affable quality to Forrest that Hanks is able to pull off in a way very few actors could, but the role also calls for huge dramatic range. He might be a bit slow and naive at times, but Forrest is a man completely in touch with his emotions as well. He's one of those rare cinematic characters who we genuinely think we know by the time the film concludes. Forrest becomes more than a guide through his life; he becomes our friend as well.

Because the film is also about the people who mean the world to Forrest, it is imperative that the supporting performances are of an incredibly high standard. Sinise wraps himself up in Lieutenant Dan with an astonishing degree of pathos and integrity. The character is severely wounded in the Vietnam war, and the moments spent with him as he tries to deal with his new-found disability are amongst the most moving in the film. Wright Penn is also a constant delight as Jenny. The character is somewhat tragic, and there's no doubt that she makes some really foolish decisions in her life, but we don't really hold these against her. We understand Forrest's almost unconditional love for her, and so much of this is due to Wright Penn's sensitive performance. Sally Field is also excellent as Forrest's loving and very proud mother.

Robert Zemeckis is a director generally known for his work on fantasy films, but I think the fairytale nature of Forrest Gump makes him a wonderful choice for the film. He is a director who has always utilised the best technological advancements, and it comes as no surprise that Forrest Gump won the visual effects Oscar for, among other things, inserting Tom Hanks into archive footage, and removing Gary Sinise's legs. But there's a maturity and a warmth to Zemeckis's direction too; he clearly loves the character of Forrest and therefore helps us see the world through his eyes. He was rewarded with the directing Oscar. Alan Silvestri's enchanting musical score is also a delightful addition to the film.

But aside from all these wonderful, wonderful things, what is perhaps most crucial in keeping the film alive is its unashamedly positive outlook. Forrest himself could so easily have ended up on the scrap heap of society, and yet he reaches heights that many of us can only dream of. He has to deal with tragedy and loss, but each time he has to face one of the harsh realities of life he picks himself up in spectacular fashion. The film makes it very clear that we can all make a difference, but only if we are as dedicated, decent and passionate as Forrest. It's a great film with a towering central performance.

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