Movie Analysis: Forrest Gump

In order to write a movie review for Screen English class, I was given the list of 100
America’s greatest movies to choose from. Among 100 movies, it was very difficult for me to
choose only one. I didn’t know which movie would be entertaining and thought-provoking at
the same time since I didn’t want to miss any of them. Especially because most of the movies
on the list were old classics, I barely recognized few of them and had to ask for an advice
from my parents. After giving a thought for a while, they recommended me to watch Forrest
Gump, saying that I would be able to gain life-long lessons from the life of the main
character. Frankly speaking, if it had not been for the assignment of Screen English, I
probably wouldn’t have had a chance to watch Forrest Gump from which I learned crucial
values a human being must acquire as well as the importance of life itself.

 Introduction

To begin with basic introduction to the movie Forrest Gump, it is an American comedy-
drama created in the year of 1994 by Robert Zemeckis. Basically, this movie is made based
on the novel Forrest Gump by Winston Groom in 1986 and Tom Hanks plays the main
character with disability. The actress Robin Wright Penn is given the role of Jenny Curran, a
lover of the main character. Other actors such as Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Sally
Field appear on the movie as well. Winning world famous awards such as that of Academy
and Golden Globe, and making profits over $677 million, it is regarded as one of the most
influential and supported movies in 1990s.

 Summary

The very first scene of the movie starts with a white feather shown flying around in the air
and settling down between the shoes of a man, Forrest Gump, sitting at the bus station. There,
Forrest Gump, disabled main character, starts to talk about his life stories to people at the
station whether they listen or not. His story goes all the way back to when he first put
crutches on his legs and met his best and only friend, Jenny Curran, on the school bus. He
explains how his childhood life was like in his point of view including the fact that he was
able to endure all the bullies due to help of Jenny and that he became very good at running
after overcoming the disability of his legs with crutches. Receiving scholarships with his
ability to run so fast in football team, he even makes it to the university. After graduation
from university, he applies for the army where he makes new friend Bubba who is being
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killed at the war in Vietnam. Saving the lives of many soldiers including the leader of the
soldiers, Dan Taylor, Forrest receives the award of honor. Although he encounters with Jenny
living with hippie culture and addicted to drugs after returning from the war, Jenny leaves
again. Forrest earns large amount of money from his ping-pong business and with that
money, he goes out into sea with Dan Taylor and catches shrimps as he had promised with
Bubba who died at the war in Vietnam. Earning large fortunes by investing in Apple
Computer Company and also by catching shrimps, they donate their money to the family of
their dead associates. Forrest’s mother dies from serious illness and Jenny leaves him again
after declining his proposal. Being hurt due to consecutive negative incidents, he crosses the
country several times on foot. At the moment, the scene comes back to the present where
Forrest Dump is still seated at the bus station, waiting for Jenny who has contacted him. This
time, Forrest finds out that Jenny has a son also named as Forrest and they marry. Soon,
Jenny dies due to HIV infection. The plot ends with the scene where father Forrest and son
Forrest are waiting for the school bus on son Forrest’s first day of school and the feather flies
down near to son Forrest as it had to father Forrest at the beginning of the movie.

 Analysis

A. Personal analysis

After watching the movie, I realized that it is dealing with serious social norms and trying
to convey important messages to humanity for changes despite the fact that Forrest Gump is a
comedy movie. I would like to explain three main lessons I found within the movie while
watching.
To begin with, I was able to notice the fact that the movie is trying to emphasize the
values of sacrifice and devotion. Throughout the movie, the main character, Forrest Gump, is
being shown as someone who devotes himself for the benefit of the whole. For instance, he
takes risks of his own life to save his injured associates at the war in Vietnam and he also
donates most of his money that he earned after years of hard working to the families of his
dead associates rather than choosing to use the money for his own individual benefit.
Second of all, the movie is conveying a message that people with different values and
lifestyles need to learn to accept differences through incorporation. As it is clearly shown in
the teachings of Mrs. Gump, difference is not a concept that should be criticized and regarded
as bad but rather that is the harmony of different ideas being put together. In the movie, Mrs.
Gump keep tells her son, Forrest Gump, that he is not different than other normal kids when
he first puts on crutches on his legs. Even though Forrest Gump goes through hardships due
to his external differences compared with normal people, he never gives up his life and makes
his best attempts to fit himself into the society by persuading others to understand in his point
of view.
Last but not least, the movie is putting importance on the fact that our life depends on the
choices we make every the other seconds through an object feather that comes out both at the
beginning and at the end of the movie. By looking at the scenes where feather swiped from
the wind come and lies down near on father and son Forrest, we can acknowledge that the
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feather symbolizes our own lives due to the similarity that both feather and life can flow into
any direction and they could bring unexpected results depending on to which direction wind
blows and which choices we make.

B. Comparison of the critique and my review

I have taken a look into the critique written by Jon Ridge, one of the news group members
at Imdb, a website for movie reviews and critiques, and have compared with my analysis on
Forrest Gump. There are some aspects in which I agree with the writer of the movie critique
whereas the other parts I disagree.
To start with the parts I agree with what the critique mentioned, I have a similar viewpoint
when it comes to the character of Forrest Gump. The critique is portraying Forrest as a
character whose IQ may not reach to the level of average people but someone who can
tolerate differences and also who has mental strength. I also agree with the critique in a fact
that Forrest is teaching us that trying to create bonds with others who are different from us
will bring us stronger unity and harmony into the society.
When it comes to handling the issue of relationships, I do not agree with the critique that
argues that the movie Forrest Gump is all about forming relationships with others as Forrest
did with Jenny, Bubba, and Dan Taylor. However, I must say that these subordinate characters
exist to enhance better understanding of inner beauties and strengths Forrest Gump possesses.
By providing means through which Forrest Gump can express his inner thoughts, these
assisting characters help Forrest Gump to become stronger and acquire the qualities of
tolerance and love for others. Rather than arguing that the movie is all built based upon
relationships of Forrest Gump, I would say the movie is all about building internal values and
sharing them with others.