Film review – Forrest Gump

I have never met anyone like Forrest Gump in a movie before, and for that matter I
have never seen a movie quite like "Forrest Gump". It is a comedy, I guess. Or maybe
a drama. Or a dream. It caught my attention like something never before.
The movie Forrest Gump is based on the 1986 book of the same name by Winston
Groom. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, and it came out on July 6, 1994.
The picture is set in Alabama. It tells the story of a man with an IQ of 75 and his epic
journey through life. He manages between the 1950s and the 1980s to become
involved in every major event in American history. While all this happened, Forrest,
fervently performed by Tom Hanks, does not know the importance of the events were
because of his naiveté and much lower than average intelligence. He survives them all
with only honesty and niceness as his shields. Although epic in length and symbolic in
treatment, the movie never loses sight of the intimate love story at its centre.
Forrest Gump's two and a half hours run the gamut from humour and charm to tragedy
and poignancy. This feature is "like a box of chocolates ... you never know what you're
gonna get" as it serves up an abundance of surprising treats, sometimes sweet and
sometimes bitter. Tom Hanks plays Forrest with just the right blend of sincerity and
earnestness. He may be the only actor who could have played the role. It is a truly
great piece of filmmaking, the film at the end literally brought tears to my eyes.
No wonder this fantastic picture was nominated for a total of 13 Academy Awards
(Oscars), and it won six of these, including Best Picture, Best Visual Effects, Best
Director (Robert Zemeckis), and Best Actor (Tom Hanks).

Adam Horáček