If you know me, you know that the 1994 film “Forrest Gump” directed by Robert Zemeckis is my favorite movie. The heart-felt plot tied with humor and perfectly cast roles has made “Forrest Gump” stand out in my mind since the first time I watched it in seventh grade. Whenever I see this movie on TV, I set aside everything I am doing to spend the next two hours and twenty-two minutes indulging in the life of Forrest Gump.
Gump, played by Tom Hanks, is a disabled man with an IQ of 75 who manages to be involved in several well-known events from the 1950s through the 1980s. The movie begins in Forrest’s home town Greenbow, Alabama. Once he enters adulthood, his adventures include becoming an All-American football player at the University of Alabama, serving in Vietnam as a member of the United States Army, competes internationally in table-tennis, meets the president of the United States and even starts his own shrimping company.
After seeing Hanks’ performance, imagining anyone else as Gump is impossible. Hanks took on his role with dignity, but managed to keep the child-like innocence that Gump possesses. Trying to pin the movie as a specific genre is out of the question. Is it a drama? Kind of. Is it a romance? Sometimes. Is it a comedy? At certain points.
The overall theme throughout the movie is that Gump does not fully understand the events taking place around him. Although this is sometimes the case, Gump is still able to process the important parts of life. He understands love despite being told by Jenny, the girl he has loved since the age of five, that he “don’t know what love is.” At the end of the film, it is clear to see that Gump’s accomplishments do not mean as much to him compared to the love he has for the people closest to him.
After viewing this movie 50+ times, I can say without a doubt that it is worth the watch. Hanks’ portrayal of Gump brings a rollercoaster of emotions that you will never want to get off of. What an outstanding movie.