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Critics Consensus: Forrest Gump may be an overly sentimental film with a somewhat problematic message, but its sweetness and charm are usually enough to approximate true depth and grace.
Critic Consensus: Forrest Gump may be an overly sentimental film with a somewhat problematic message, but its sweetness and charm are usually enough to approximate true depth and grace.
All Critics (91) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (66) | Rotten (25) | DVD (13)
Contrasting Forrest's unassuming innocence with the upheavals and rancor of the times, the film is a wisely goofy commentary on the stupidity of smartness.
Forrest Gump, the new Tom Hanks movie directed by Robert Zemeckis, is a one-of-a-kind treat.
A dark and driven work, haunted by violence, cruelty and a sense of the tragically absurd.
So afraid to dredge up debate that when Forrest is handed a mic at an antiwar rally, someone unplugs the speakers so we can't hear him - fitting for a movie with nothing to say.
It's most successful when it is being off-center, a state of grace it doesn't quite have the nerve to maintain.
This isn't the meaningful movie it pretends to be. But as a goofy entertainment that speeds through the latter half of the 20th century, stopping here and there to snap a photo or two, Forrest Gump does just fine.
A hilarious, large-spirited and tender epic.
Hanks' power as an actor makes us believe in Forrest. He also draws us into Forrest's mind and morality system. And he sets out a singular film persona who will be watched and loved as long as people embrace movies.
...an instant classic. [Full Review in Spanish]
Forrest Gump is, for all of it's graces, undeniably broken thanks to [its] shameless ideological manipulation of historical truths. [Full review in Spanish]
Tries very hard to be all things to all people, and as a result fails to be anything at all.
A weirder, darker, and better movie than its reputation suggests.
With a fine performance by Tom Hanks, this is a refreshing feel-good movie that is always fun and charming, even if sometimes sentimental and a bit vague about its purpose - and if you are able to overlook its flaws, you will find a captivating story of innocence and optimism.
Super Reviewer
Forrest Gump: Jenny, I don't know if Momma was right or if, if it's Lieutenant Dan. I don't know if we have a destiny, or if we're all just floatin' around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it's both. Maybe both is happenin' at the same time. "The story of a lifetime." Forrest Gump is a beautiful film and definitely is the film that Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks are most known for. It's one of those rare movies that everyone has seen and just about everyone loves. It's a classic and it's not hard to see why. The movie takes on the simpleness of it's title character, Forrest Gump. It's not flashy, it's simple, and the simpleness is beautiful. Forrest Gump is an unintelligent, but interesting man. He was born in Alabama where he grows up with his friend, Jenny, and his mother. Forrest sits on a bus stop bench, telling strangers his life story. How he played football at the University of Alabama, how he went to Vietnam, how he met presidents, and how he has always loved his friend Jenny. Forrest's journey puts him at many important events during the sixties and seventies, and the movie surrounds the story of Forrest with civil rights issues, the hippy generation, and just about all the other major news of those decades. It does so in a very good way too, allowing the audience to see it as Forrest does. How can you watch a movie so brazen with soul and warmth and not just love it. It's a comedy and a drama. It's funny, sad, and inspiring. It's one of those films you can watch a million times over and still get that same feeling you had the first time you watched it. It just is everything you want in a movie. Tom Hanks is brilliant and Zemeckis' direction is incredible. It isn't just a story of a man, but of the generation he was apart of. The brilliance of how these two different elements are put together is what makes Forrest Gump the lovable and great movie it is. If you're one of the few people who haven't seen Forrest Gump, all I can say is, watch it.
A nice enough concept, fairly well pulled off but is mainly crushed by its own sentimentality and heavy handed emotional manipulation (not to mention ham-fisted politics). Good revision for your 20th century American history exam, otherwise watch Big Fish instead.
Epic in scope and triumphant in spirit, Forrest Gump is a larger-than-life piece of film-making, that scored home an impressive 6 Oscars in 1995, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor in a Leading Role. It revolves around the eventful and remarkable life of a mentally, and for some time physically challenged man, who looks at the world through very unique and innocent eyes, as he becomes part of some of the key events that shaped America as a nation. Famous historical figures like Elvis, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and John Lennon, are just some of the people that he encounters on his grand and amazing journey. Director Robert Zemeckis is a magician behind the camera, delivering world-class visual story-telling that truly captures the heart and mind in really spell-binding ways. So much love and passion have gone into its making, and it's one of those rare cinematic miracles, where all parties involved have dedicated themselves fully to create the best experience possible. Ascended by a beautifully orchestrated music score (together with some great classics from the eras it portrays), it hits all the right notes at all the right moments. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll maybe even feel inspired. For there's nothing in this tour-de-force of a film that isn't absolutely stirring. It's been almost 20 years since its release now, yet the special effects still hold and look as fantastic as ever. They way they've integrated Forrest into real historical footage, is incredibly well-done and nearly seamless in its crafting. Some things even look more convincing than the wizardry of modern features. However visually compelling it may be though, it's in the acting where it truly dazzles. Tom Hanks' sensational, award-winning performance, is definitely one of the best, if not the greatest of feat his entire career. I would say it stands between this and his heart-gripping turn as an AIDS victim in Jonathan Demme's Philadelphia. You certainly can't complain about the supporting cast either. Sally Field, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise and Mykelti Williamson, evoke tremendous pathos and sympathy, with their exceptionally written and terrifically acted characters. Michael Conner Humphreys is really wonderful as well, as Forrest in his younger years. Cynics may have issues with how far-fetched the story is, but I don't think it matters much in the larger perspective. I'm more than willing to suspend all disbelief, for such a majestically conceived and viscerally powerful piece of drama. And I'm sure that goes for a lot of us. A movie about love, loss, war and human behavior. About discovering your inner potential and overcoming your limitations, even when everything seems against you and abscent of hope. For within Forrest Gump dwells a ray of pure inspiration, with the message that life is what you make of it. We may not all come to shake hands with the President or amount to champions in ping-pong, but we all possess the power to make the best of what we have. Timeless, magical, moving and uplifting, this movie is a celebration of all that and more!
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