A Tasty Box of Chocolates

Rating: 9/10 (4 June 2007)

The movie Forrest Gump is a very unusual, but a great, film. Each of the four story elements of characterization, plot development setting, and themes are very effectively presented. It was very popular when it first came out, and people even now still discuss it, considering it as a modern classic. In the first eighteen days, it took $100 million in only American cinemas, more than any other film made by Paramount Pictures before. The movie was first written as a novel by an American author Winston Groom. The movie was made in 1994, directed by an American director Robert Zmeckis.
The story has an odd setting. It is set in a small fictional town in Alabama, but also the whole world. The filmmaker used this to represent his theme of 'everyman'. It has a long time setting. The story covers several generations from 1950s to 1990s. By covering of the world's time of losing innocence, as at the same time presenting Forrest as a symbol of innocence, he shows how the world has changed during the time.
The main character Forrest is an extraordinary person. He, played by Tom Hanks, is born with polio. He needed braces for his legs when he was young. He also has a low IQ of 70. He is unusual. He is different from other people in a lot of special ways. Forrest Gump represents all Humanity, as a kind of modern-day 'Everyman'. He is judged by his intelligence and appearance by other people. This leads to another theme of the story. Judging a person by one thing about them cannot explain the person. The filmmaker uses this astonishing character to show the viewers the surrealism. The events go under realism, but all the things that happen to him cannot happen to one person. This intentionally unrealistic characterization is used to give us the message that we are all human.
Other characters are also very interesting. His mom Mrs. Gump, played amazingly by Sally Field, tries really hard for him to find the best of him. She is willing to do anything for Forrest, and she always stands up for him. She symbolizes good motherhood. Forrest's beautiful girlfriend named Jenny, also his first and the only friend in the school, later becomes his wife. She was the victim of physical and sexual abuse by her father when she was young. Her childhood was like living hell for her. In the film played fantastically by Robin Wright, Jenny plays one of the major roles in the movie, contributing to the plot development and the theme of acceptance and tolerance.
The mood of the film changes as Jenny comes to find Forrest, and then just leaves him alone again. The film slowly develops its high points. The first day of school is one. It is important because it shows that even little kids judge him by his looks. Later he goes to Vietnam and gets involved in the war. When he runs the entire breadth of America, the plot reaches one of its highest points with some humor in it.
There isn't only one theme in the film Forrest Gump. "Life is like a box of chocolate," he says. You don't know what you're given, until you've opened your chocolate. Additionally, whatever you're given in life, you should always try to achieve your personal best. It also makes the viewers wonder about the idea of destiny and choices in life. The film has a universal theme of acceptance and tolerance. He says, "Stupid is as stupid does." He might not fully understand what he's really saying, but the filmmaker intends the viewers to understand. It really means that it is not stupid to be unintelligent, but it's stupid to judge people on actions, not reputation, and to name-call them. The film tells us what it's really like to be a human. It expresses another universal experience of how we're more alike than not alike.
Overall, I would say this movie is terrific. It doesn't only tell us about its themes and meaning of life but make us think about them as well. Both the actors' incredible performances, and the stimulating script writing make this movie so magnificent. The movie has won 6 Academy Awards including best picture. I strongly recommend you watch this movie and or read the original novel. It is important to understand what it's like to be a human, what it's like to be different, what it means to accept and understand each other and I'm sure you'll really like the movie too.