Great Story!

Rating: 9/10 (27 October 2008)

I'd like to say first of all, that I absolutely love this film. When I first saw this film in the theater I was taken back by how flawlessly, the Director expressed the story of the title character Forrest Gump. I am surprised however, by all the Forrest Gump haters out there, who view this as some sort of propaganda machine, or film about a man who skates his way through life and achieves everything. Boo hoo, are those haters jealous because he did everything right or because he made "a gazillion dollars"? Well, life is different for everybody. Maybe somehow, these people don't believe that something like this is possible? How could a simple, southern man from Greenbow, Alabama succeed when all he does is follow the direction of others? This films theme after all, (SPOILERS), is whether life is governed by destiny or, by chance? I won't get into a debate about that here but, lets remember this is fictional, and it's for entertainment. Don't take it so seriously...enjoy it! The acting by Tom Hanks is beautiful. It is hard to view Tom Hanks, now, as anything other than Forrest. His character was completely submersed in this role. The accent was spot on, and the journey through the south, (Alabama, Savannah Ga., etc), was remarkable. Forrest is portaied as immediately different from the supporting cast. He goes through the same course of life as everyone around him but, he achieves his milestones in a unique way that only makes sense, but possibly not, to Forrest. The title character always brings his definition of life back to what he was taught by his "Mamma." I think this is a very real, and touching way of showing respect to all the mother's out there who are constantly defining for their children what the world is about. The life of Forrest is logical only to him. He doesn't question the advice given by his mother as being wrong, and he stops at that. No further thought is involved, he takes the advice and uses it as he "floats" his way through life. Every scene in this film is used to convey how destiny and chance usually occur at the same time.
All in all I give this film two thumbs, way up. I recommend for anyone who loves a great story, and wishes their lives could be this easy.