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Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump

71%
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Critic Review - Chicago Reader

Judging by the the movie's enduring popularity, the message that stupidity is redemption is clearly what a lot of Americans want to hear.

February 5, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comments (118)
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
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Comments

Darule17

Darryl Gagnon

she hates everything , every legend movie she give bad reviews. You seriously don't deserve to be a critic. Get a new job loser.

Jul 24 - 02:39 PM

MovieFanatic12

Aaron Dumont

Yep, you can *totally* tell when there's a bad film critic when they're compared by many professionals to James Agee and Andre Bazin and when they're praised by Jean-Luc Godard.

Someone not liking a film that you loved should not equal personal insults and very ignorant, very outlandish statements, guys. It's called an opinion.

Jan 10 - 08:26 PM

MovieFanatic12

Aaron Dumont

Oops, my comment wasn't supposed to be a reply to Darule17.

Jan 10 - 08:37 PM

Gabriel R.

Gabriel Rauch

A critic doesn't have to love everything that the public loves. Hey, do you notice how FORREST GUMP only has a 71% rating? That's not very good.

Aug 12 - 04:39 PM

Micah Heard

Micah Heard

Hey guess what................ shut up

Sep 11 - 09:00 PM

Ryan Tickle

Ryan Tickle

GARSH Micah GOOD ONE! *GASP*

Oct 10 - 08:50 AM

Cw Meyer

Cw Meyer

We are not asking him to love or like the movie retards, but not to give a very ignorant review of the movie and talking shit about Americans in general...just a very lonely mad man that has no life is all it is, it's as simple as that.

Nov 21 - 08:30 AM

T-bone V.

T-bone Valentyne

Very interesting that you would call him ignorant right after calling everyone "retards". Well done.

Jan 3 - 07:46 PM

Nabil Kablaoui

Nabil Kablaoui

i agree thank you for knowing about the first admendment the freedom of speech

Jun 17 - 02:34 PM

Justin M.

Justin M

You think a 71% rating is not very good?? Hahaha. A 71% is not that bad! It could be a lot worse. And look at the audience side of it. There's over a million reviews with a total rating of 93%!

This movie won several Academy Awards including BEST PICTURE!

THIS IS A VERY GOOD MOVIE!

Sep 9 - 01:54 AM

Ryan Tickle

Ryan Tickle

Lol you guys almost sound like youre crying while youre typing these comments, you sentimental douchebags

Oct 10 - 08:48 AM

Simon

SIMON LEARY

right, get a new job!

Jul 30 - 12:05 PM

J-UniversalyLost

Jake A

I agree. Get a new job. You obviously don't know a good film.

Aug 6 - 10:39 PM

Idiot-Finder

Some Guy

Found one

Oct 13 - 12:03 PM

hanieh84

hanieh alavi

Oct 13 - 09:56 PM

CaptainKronos

Justin McKinney

Ha! That made me laugh. I'd like to have seen a longer review, though...

Oct 22 - 01:45 PM

CoUcH ToMaToE DoUgIe

Shawn Amoroso

wow, you are a hopeless piece of crap if this movie didn't touch you! "And thats all i have to say about that"- Gump

Dec 3 - 10:15 PM

malaspulgas

malas pulgas

Dec 8 - 07:00 AM

guy6600crazy

Binoj Mathew

why am i not surprised! its you again!

Dec 20 - 03:40 PM

CoUcH ToMaToE DoUgIe

Shawn Amoroso

and judging from this message board and

the 94% fresh rating of the r.t.

community, i guess no one wants to hear

your worthless and pathetic opinion!!

Mar 30 - 12:08 PM

chinto06

Gabriel Ayala

im not sure if you didnt see the movie or if this is your way of drawing attention to yourself but your terribly wrong the movies an f***n masterpeice

May 30 - 05:45 PM

chinto06

Gabriel Ayala

either you didnt see the movie or your trying to draw attention to yourself. the fact cant be ignored the movies a masterpeice and if you cant recognize that than you should give up on being a critic

May 30 - 05:48 PM

Pokey.

mike mikeson

You insult a great movie AND a nation of people, congratulations you idiot.

Sep 11 - 03:09 PM

Stephen Gerondakis

Stephen Gerondakis

This is not a movie about what americans "want" to hear.

This is a movie of insperation, laughter, and sadness. Not stupidity!

You have offended a great nation, and a great movie.

Oct 1 - 08:55 PM

riley r.

riley riley

lol. i could be a better movie critic than you. you obviously didn't realize that the movie centered around a hypothetical, yet beautiful human utopia that is graceful, bumbling, painful, and joyous all at the same time. You also failed to realize that this human condition is simply made more charming, more accessible, and given a sense of humor by Forrest's low iq. it's a far-fetched, yet wonderful balance. we americans don't wnat to hear stupidity as the answer. we do, however, appreciate a momentary escape from the rat-race of our lives and cynicism of folks like you. Why? Well, in terms of forrest gump, it's so that we can simply bask in the glory and sorrow of drama that can only be appreciated by movie-watchers who actually analyze theme, ratherr than think of every way a petty dramatic device could make the movie terrible.

Oct 28 - 07:33 PM

chris b.

chris bobby

u r a nasty person who does nto need to ruin masterpieces with his crude remarks

Jan 15 - 10:10 PM

chris b.

chris bobby

u r a disgusting lookin human who 100 percent should keep his opinions 2 himself

Jan 15 - 10:21 PM

David C.

David Criddle

"Judging by the the movie's enduring popularity, the message that stupidity is redemption is clearly what a lot of Americans want to hear."

I would think that, with the low-level intelligent thought behind your critiques/review(s), that you would share the same enthusiam for the supposed Redemptive power of "stupidity". Regardless, Me thinks you're missing the Boat on your assessment again of the movie's theme, purpose; or otherwise, you're just on a cynical tirade against the movie's msg: that Intellect is not the underpinning of success/goodness, and that there's great value in simplicity. Regardless, It seems your cynicism is based more on what you suppose to be the message of the movie, rather than the Cinemagraphic Art, Writing, Execution in and of itself. Sad; markings of a poor critic.

Feb 14 - 01:59 AM

Peteypoo

Rob Schneider

^ This

May 14 - 12:55 PM

MovieFanatic12

Aaron Dumont

Okay, that's taking it a bit too far. Just because he doesn't like Forrest Gump doesn't give you the right to call him disgusting. Also, let's take a look at the other comments:
"you are a hopeless piece of crap"
"You obviously didn't watch the film."
"Every review you gave reminded me of a bumbling drunken hobo who claims to have the ability to fly."
All this, because HE DIDN'T LIKE A MOVIE.
Oh, and I love how Sgt. Fitz calls this critic stupid, and spells the word stupid wrong. Two times.
You guys are just acting like absolute idiots, and you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.
You guys are just members of Rotten Tomatoes.
Jonathan Rosenbaum has won many awards and honors, and wrote a book that was rated among the greatest non-fiction books of the 20th Century by The Modern Library.

Just my 2 cents of the matter.

Mar 17 - 11:55 PM

MovieFanatic12

Aaron Dumont

Okay, I was being quite harsh when I called you all idiots. David C. doesn't sound at all like an idiot, for example. But what I am trying to say is that you all are overreacting WAY too much.

Mar 25 - 07:29 PM

Barry

Barry Anderson

Dear, an individual who labels someone "Stupid", who is physically and mentally challenged, deserves to be raked over the coals. Review the movie, good or bad, without insulting your readers! That said, I agree Jonny (he's a friend)is a gifted writer and a GREAT drinking buddy.

Jan 27 - 03:36 PM

Nick G.

Nick Granillo

Hey stop trying to defend a really bad movie critic. I do not think that we are over reacting here. We are just upset that stupid people try and be movie critic's. Another thing, we do know what we are talking about. It's you and this Jonathon Rosenbaum who don't know what a good movie is. One more thing, if he's such a good author as you say he is, he should stick to that and not write stupid reveiws.

Mar 9 - 01:46 PM

mr m.

mr mxy

what the **** do you know about film or film criticism? it's history? trends in global cinema? the intricacies of film syntax? Rosenbaum is an expert on all of these areas, and the fact that he has published a wide variety of academic film books, has been compared to Andre Bazin (whom you probably don't have a clue about) by Jean-Luc Godard (whom you also probably don't have a clue about) because his grasp of film history and film politics is pretty damn impressive should give you some clue as to his importance to film criticism. and yet you hate him for disliking a canonized classic that wallows in cheap sentimentality without actually engaging his argument.

the comments here are ****ing terrible.

Jun 12 - 04:55 PM

Peteypoo

Rob Schneider

He missed the message of the movie entirely. It's not stupidity, but a positive attitude that is shown to be redemption. And with all his supposed knowledge he completely ignores the idea that it might actually be difficult to compress a half century of American history into a "palatable nugget", while still giving attention to issues like AIDS, vietnam, suicide, child abuse and drug addiction. The movie is excellent and you need a heart of stone to feel negative about it. And you need monumental arrogance for considering anyone else an idiot for liking it.

May 14 - 12:54 PM

Jordan Sharps

Jordan Sharps

Jonathan may have won many awards, and may have one of the greatest non-fiction books of all time, but he missed the mark on this one. Jonathan Rosenbaum's accolades as a film critic are clearly miniscule in comparison to the success of Forrest Gump.

May 5 - 02:07 AM

chris b.

chris bobby

ugly *** jew

Jun 2 - 07:00 PM

Jack IM

Jack Iggo Milne

Hey dude, get a life.

Aug 1 - 11:27 PM

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