Forest Gump. What does a life like? ’’Life is a box of chocolate, Forrest. You never know what you’re gonna get,’’ said Mrs Forrest. Whenever you see something via Gump’s eyes, you can see a world that you can never thought of. It not only makes you laugh, but cry as well. It is really well worth the watch.
This movie got many awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture and the year’s box-office crown. When compared with the only other three movies that won both of the awards in the past two decades, named ’Rocky’, ’Kramer VS Kramer’ and ’Rain Man’, they are of different styles. Their themes are made up of fables, but ’Forrest Gump’ tells about one’s life. Therefore, the latter one is more realistic than those of three. As it is so unique, you can’t miss it surely.
’Forrest Gump’ was based on a book written by Winston Groom in 1986. He has written several books on this character already and his latest book is called ’Gump and Co’. In the book, Forrest was just naive but not so innocent or lucky. In making up Jenny’s role, screenwriter Eric Roth transferred all of Forrest’s flaws and most of the things that Americans committed in the ’60s and ’70s to her.
The plot is a story of life with Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), a retarded American with only 75 I.Q., having an extraordinary way of life. Gump is not special, but he meets special people, like President Kennedy. He loved his neighbor Jenny (Robin Wright) very much and he fights against anyone who hurts her. He goes to war with one friend, a young black man (Mykelti Williamson) dreaming of shrimp boats and comes home with another, soldier Dan Taylor (Gary Siuise). Gump achieves extraordinary successes in an ordinary life. Since his mother (Sally Field) dies and Jenny persists in one’s old ways no matter what others say, Gump feels very disappointed, hence, he runs three years, two months, fourteen days and sixteen hours continuously in USA to release his stress. In breaking down the pervious records, he becomes a target of mass media...
Gump is an innocent man living in a fundamentally material gain world, and in the movie, it would not be so touching if he were played by anyone but Tom Hanks. Hanks is an actor whom the mass audience trusts as an guarantee of quality. He gives an astonishing performance as Forrest in this film from director Robert Zemeckis. He blindly walks through life not knowing the significance of his moves, so there is not any particular reason behind his actions at all. He makes you look at things in a better way than you used to. The childlike innocence of Forrest Gump is what we all once had. It cheers and tears you and makes you feel alive. That’s why it succeeds in warming the hearts of filmgoers like mother movie.
This movie touches so many people in a positive way. Gump can symbolize so many people. Although the life of uncontaminated Gump is a social tragedy, it teaches us to have a more optimistic way of thinking. In the early scene, there are some boys who throw stones at young Gump, however, Gump does not hide himself and cry. His success pave the way for both the idiots and the handicapped, emphasizing that they are able to do what the ordinary men do, or even can do better than them. By achieving these miracles, it actually represents the survival and struggle of both an idiot and a handicapped. Gump, don’t be afraid, we are supporting you. Go, Gump, Go.
The only flaw of ’Forest Gump’ is that the film length is too long, which is about two hours and a half. This makes the story less tense. Nevertheless, it does send you an important message and encourages you to think about what you feel. Indeed, his invulnerably innocent character touches our hearts deeply. Thank you. Forrest Gump. We feel so much better now.
(written by 阿然 on November 8, 1999)
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