Humankind's Greatest Cinematic Achievement Thus Far.

Rating: 10/10 (13 October 2018)

Forrest Gump is one of the most iconic movies in the 20th century. It contains some of the most famous quotes such as, "Run Forrest, Run!", "My mama said life is like a box of chocolates", and my personal favorite: "JENNYYYY". Also, no other movie in history has spurred the creation of a successful, themed food chain. However, these reasons are not what makes, Forrest Gump, the best movie ever created. The bildungsroman movie, Forrest Gump, is the greatest movie ever created in the 20th century because of its ability to transcend nearly all levels of society and how it effectively critiques each of them.
Forrest Gump explores Southern society in an unique way. Following Forrest's early life, we get a glimpse into what life was like in the South for a mentally challenged young man with a single mother. Forrest's mother is well off and has a large estate. We see that his mother cares for him, despite his handicaps. She, "convinces" the principal to allow Forrest to enter a school known for academics. Also, she never fails to remind Forrest that he isn't dumb, but that he is special. Forrest's mother is a caring woman who will do anything to see that her son succeeds in life. This caring relationship contrasts with Jenny's family. Jenny comes from a house with an alcoholic, abusive father. They both live in an old, small, rundown house. She consistently runs away and hides from her father. This displays the vast socio-economic differences in the South. There are families who have "old money" and live in large estates with housekeepers and groundskeepers and who speak with "Southern sophistication". On the other hand, there are people who are living in poverty and who have extremely dysfunctional families. The insight into Southern culture was so realistic, that viewers did not even think about the inaccuracies the depictions could have portrayed; the performance was spot on. Southern culture has influenced Forrest Gump's character and how he reacts to the military culture in the next stage of his life.
According to the movie, military culture in the 1970s is a combination of intensity and relaxation. When Forrest steps on to the bus going to boot camp, he is immediately greeted by a screaming bus driver. At boot camp, a drill sergeant hollers explicit words and intimidates the new recruits. He eventually stands inches in front of Forrest and asks him what is his (Forrest) purpose in the army. After Forrest responds, the sergeant yells, "... That is the most outstanding answer I have heard. You must have a goddamn IQ of 160". He then marches off barking orders to the rest of the group. Forrest matches his intensity by also yelling at the top of his lungs. This portrays the military as an inhospitable environment only for the strong-willed. It is the stereotypical depiction of boot camp. However, upon arrival at Vietnam, Forrest and his best friend, Bubba, realize that Vietnam was nothing like they had expected. Men were barbecuing meats, smoking cigarettes, and having a grand time. They eventually meet Lieutenant Dan; Lieutenant Dan is a laid back and shirtless officer who shows them around camp. It somewhat startled Forrest and Bubba, as this was not what they had expected. This depiction of soldiers who are relaxing heavily contrasts with the earlier depiction from boot camp. The contrast symbolizes the public belief surrounding Vietnam during the 1970s. In the beginning of the war, society believed that Americans were doing a good job and keeping peace: paralleling Forrest and Bubba's preliminary thoughts on what Vietnam was going to be like. However, soldiers were misusing their time and were being reckless with the supplies paid for by taxpayers. When Forrest exits the war, he is eventually sucked into anti-war protest, in which the viewer is able to experience the counter-war culture.
The director portrays the hippie/anti-war culture as fervent and almost hypocritical. Forrest meets Jenny at an anti-war rally and he is invited to see what goes on during the planning of these rallies. Jenny's boyfriend is a high ranking "officer" in his anti-war organization. Upon arrival, Forrest sees a boardroom with plans, just like those in military offices. Also, the black panthers, an African-American radical group, also joins the anti-war planning. Every single person in the room has a burning passion to end the war, just as the soldiers had a burning passion to get home as well. The protestors were "anti-war" and "anti-violence", however, they were very aggressive when talking about the war. Also, Jenny's boyfriend hits her, which triggers Forrest to attack him. Forrest and Jenny are subsequently kicked out. The anti-war movement was portrayed in a negative light, despite their intentions. Though they wanted to be the opposite of the military, the counter-war movement to be quite similar to the military. They had a similar hierarchy and same fervent passion. The protestors want to promote peace, but they still showed aggression.. The anti-war protestors are essentially hypocrites.
Forrest Gump is the greatest movie ever created because of its unique perspective on society in the 1970's. No other movie has captured the human experience as accurately as this movie has. It's perspective spans from the rich to the poor, and from Vietnam war supporters to the counter-war movement. Through the eyes of Forrest, we see into the southern, military, and anti-war cultures. We see how a young man raised in the south with good morals, survives the military, and faces the hypocritical anti-war protestors. Forrest Gump is not only a heartwarming movie about a mentally challenged man who is able to miraculously influence 1970s society, but also, a film masterpiece due to how it critiques the cultures within society, through which Forrest transcends.