Robert Zemeckis lives up to his highly acclaimed reputation with this 1996 oscar winning tale of a simple but lovable man who single-handedly changes the world we live in today.
The plot of the film focuses on the life of Forrest Gump, a lower-than-average intelligence man from Alabama, who unwittingly changes the entire course of the world's modern history.
The film starts with the falling of a white feather, accompanied by the signature emotion evoking theme tune. The feather then falls to the feet of a pair of scruffy nike trainers, worn by the film's title character, we are introduced for the first time to Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks). Forrest then begins to talk to a woman sitting next to him on the bus stop, and gradually begins to tell the story of his life. Like so many good films the film isn't chronologically presented and instead alternates between present day with Forrest at the bus stop, and the past with Forrest narrating and recollecting this remarkable memories.
Forrest begins his story of his early years of the late 1950's; dealing with having a curved spine, and growing up without a father figure in his life. Indeed the lack of father figure, creates the close relationship between mother and son that defines Forrest's whole out-look of the world. It's during these early recollections that the audience becomes aware of Forrest's lessened intelligence. The story continues to Forrest's first day at school and particularly getting on the school bus, where he meets the love of his life Jenny. Forrest and Jenny become incredibly close and it is this relationship that
is arguably the main focus of the film. It is around his first years of school that Forrest is bullied and realises his ability to run incredibly fast, and it is this ability which gains him a scholarship to College playing American Football. Through this Forrest wins the All American Championship, and embarks on one of his many visits to the White House to meet the president.
After this Forrest graduates from college and embarks on a career in the army. Forrest excels in the army and is soon sent off to Vietnam, not before an emotional goodbye to Jenny, whom he meets at a seedy theatre where she stars singing naked. It becomes clear at this point Jenny is living the free and drug fuelled life of the 'swinging sixties'. During the army Forrest meets a new best friend called Benjamin Buford Blue or 'Bubba'. Forrest and Bubba develop a close relationship during their service and plan to start a Shrimping Boat compant once theya re both out of the army. However at one point of his Vietnam service Forrest and his fellow army squadron are involved in a bloody battle in which several are killed. Forrest determined to find Bubba runs back into the battle field to save his friend, only to keep finding other injured soldiers, and is decides to carry them to safety instead, including his resentful former lieutenant Dan. Eventually after saving several other soldiers, Forrest (although being shot) finds Bubba and carries him to safety, only for him to die in his arms. Bubba becomes the first of many people in Forrest's life to die.
For his remarkable bravery Forrest recieves the Medal of Honor ad again goes to visit the White House to get his medal off the President of the United States. During his hospital stay Forrest learns to play ping-pong and goes on to win the world championships, and becomes a national celebrity appearing on talk shows and receiving sponsorship deals of top ping-pong companies. Soon after leaving the army Forrest meets up with Lieutenant Dan and stays at his house for a while, during which time Dan shows his resentment at Forrest for saving his life but now leaving him crippled. Forrest then leaves to start up the Shrimping Company he promised he would with Bubba using some of his sponsorship money. Lieutenant Dan soon joins Forrest as a partner, and after a hurricane wiped out all of their main rivals, Bubba-Gump Shrimping Company became a multi-million pound company.
However Forrest's delight soon turns to despair when his mother dies of cancer. It is on a trip home to see his dying mother that Forrest bumps into Jenny, now recovering after several suicidal intentions and drug abuse, and proposes and sleeps with her, only for Jenny to run away the next day. This further heartache causes Forrest to run around America for three and a half years, simply becaue he 'felt like running'.
After this period we are taken back into the present with Forrest explaining he is waiting for a bus to go and see Jenny. Forrest then goes to see Jenny only to find out he has a son following that one night of passion called Forrest Jr. Forrest and Jenny then decide to marry, only for Jenny to die also, most likely of HIV. The film ends with Forrest Jr and his father at the bus stop like Forrest Senior was all those years ago at the start of the film, and the white feather Forrest had previously pressed into a book, escaping as he opens it at the bus stop and once more drifting into the sky.
During Forrest's lifetime he has a massive unwitting effect on pop culture, including inspiring John Lennon's 'Imagine' song after meeting him on a TV programme, creating Elvis's trademark dance style after dancing in front of him wearing leg braces during Pressley's stay at his Mother's house, he foils Watergate, invests in the Apple computer company, starts the craze of jogging, brings about smiley t-shirts after wiping his face on a blank yellow t-shirt, creates the 'shit happens' bumper sticker when asked about his views on stepping on a pile of faeces in the road during his running spree, and also brings an end to segregation when picking up a notebook of a black student when she enters a segregated school.
One of the main reasons this film works so well is the main character himself, Forrest Gump. Hanks portrayal of the extremely unintelligent Gump, is quite simply remarkable. Many see this film as simply a comedy about some idiot finding himself in amazing situations, but it is so much more than that. The relationship between Forrest and other characters particularly Jenny is so emotional and touching, it almost brings you to tears with every watch. You see the amazing life of one man in pictures and stories so well told you feel you know the character Forrest personally, and he is indoubteldy a character you feel for and find impossible not to like. This emotional connectedness is crucial for the success of the film.
Overall I feel Robert Zemeckis has achieved something truly remarkable with this film. Using state-of-the-art techniques to portray Forrest literally interacting and shaping history, the film looks amazing. Tom Hanks delivers arguably his best performance to accompany the visually sleek surroundings, with an unbelievably touching, emotional and most importantly believable performance. Combining these two elements, makes this biographical account of post 50's America one of the greatest films ever made, and one which should be cherished by all film lovers. Lets hope the rumoured sequel 'Gump and Co' if ever made, is equally superb.
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![Forrest Gump (2 Disc Special Collector's Edition) [1994] [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78521540.jpg "Forrest Gump (2 Disc Special Collector's Edition) [1994] [DVD]")
Jun 10th, 2007
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