Written by Eric Roth
Producers Wendy Finerman, Steve Tisch, Steve Starkey
Starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field
Music Alan Silvestri
Cinematography Don Burgess
Directed by Robert Zemeckis and based on Winston Groom’s novel, Forrest Gump follows an Alabama native with an IQ of just 75 whose whole life plays out against the backdrop of iconic American events like JFK, Vietnam, and Watergate. Tom Hanks plays the simple but lovable Forrest, who spends the movie chasing the love of his life, Jenny (Robin Wright).
The story starts in the late 1950s, with a very young Forrest living in Greenbow, Alabama, with his mother (Sally Field), who always has a memorable phrase ready to help him along, like “stupid is as stupid does.” At school, he falls for Jenny, a young girl from a terribly abusive home, and the two quickly become inseparable. As they grow up, Forrest discovers he has a knack for running, which carries him from football star to Vietnam hero and through a string of other successes he seems to stumble into.
None of that success matters to Forrest, though. He only cares about the people in his life, and he’d do anything for Jenny. Sadly, she goes down a much darker road. Forrest never loses his innocence, but Jenny never got the chance to have hers. Those are some of the most heartbreaking moments in the film, where Forrest’s simple view of the world collides with Jenny’s frightened eyes.
The best part of the movie is easily Hanks. He’d already shown his talent in Big and Philadelphia, but he’s never been this believable in a role this unique. It would have been easy to make Forrest an offensive caricature, and it never comes close. His blunders get plenty of laughs, but his compassion and innocence bring a joy and hope you rarely get from a movie character.
Gary Sinise is another standout as Lieutenant Dan Taylor, Forrest’s platoon leader in Vietnam. Dan comes from a long line of soldiers who died in battle, and his life’s goal is to die in the war too. He supplies a lot of the comic relief along with plenty of cynicism, which contrasts beautifully with Forrest’s optimism.
The special effects are worth a mention. Zemeckis digitally inserts Forrest into real archival news footage, and sometimes the results are groundbreaking. Other times they’re laughable, especially when CGI makes historical figures say new lines. It’s a clever trick, but it often comes off as silly.
Still, it’s hard to overstate how deeply this movie sank into pop culture. The quotable lines, the park bench, “Run, Forrest, run,” even a restaurant chain based on its shrimp business. It won six Oscars, including Best Picture over Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption, a result people are still arguing about. Look at it with a critical eye and a few cracks show in the sentimentality and the shakier effects. But it’s remembered with a lot more affection than scrutiny, and I think that affection is earned.
Zemeckis had already made plenty of iconic films, like Romancing the Stone, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and the Back to the Future trilogy, and Forrest Gump only cements his chops. With Hanks, he crafts a story that gives audiences a simple view of a complicated era. It’s a strange movie that blends heartbreaking drama and irreverent comedy in a way that somehow feels seamless, and it will always be remembered for its quotable dialogue, its ambitious effects, and Tom Hanks in the title role.
