Innocence Prevails

Rating: 9/10 (15 July 2014)

Forrest Gump is a 1994 movie directed by Robert Zemeckis starring Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump, a mentally handicap man who tells his life's tale to anyone who will listen while he awaits the reunion with his childhood sweetheart. Despite being told that he is different, Forrest's mother raises Forrest with love and advice, which leads to Forrest having crazy adventures as he ages and leaves his home. Throughout the film, Forrest is reunited briefly with Jenny as they both live out America's history in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Forrest Gump is a heartbreakingly honest and breathtakingly funny film capable of captivating audiences.
The message behind Forrest Gump is simply that a true innocence of character will get he anywhere in life, even if he does not mean to go there. Forrest was always just in the right place at the right time, minding his own business. At one point, all Forrest is trying to do is go to class and he ends up on the news in a racial battle at his college. However, Forrest managed to stay innocent and kind in a crazy time, which shows that if even those that are said to be destined to be different are not always destined to fail. Jenny often talked about how destiny influenced everything, and she was right, only from most perspectives, despite his handicap, Forrest still had a better life than her.
One of the best parts about Forrest Gump is Forrest himself. Forrest is not stupid; he is just a bit slow, but he is pure and honest to the core, which makes for both hilarity and heartbreak during such a turbulent time, with racial issues dividing the country, assassinations of people who prompted peace, and wars raging across the globe, not to mention all the other drugs, politics, and moral issues tearing America apart. Characters aside, my favorite part of Forrest Gump was the use of actual historical events that gave the film a more authentic and realistic feel.