If this isn't a 10/10 movie I have not seen one!!!

Rating: 10/10 (8 March 1999)

Some users view this movie as inferior to The Shawshank Redemption (TSR) which was released the same year. Personally, I see that both Forrest Gump (FG) and TSR as the same standard of excellence. Both movies shows contrasting aspects of hope and how to adjust to injustices in the outside world. What made FG a classic and probably gave it the best picture Oscar was not only the special effects throughout the movie, or the brilliant appropriate use of music fitting the era, but the incredible acting and plot device. When I first saw FG I thought it was a good family comedy with immense amounts of surrealism. However after repeat viewing I realised that FG had one of the most thought provoking scripts ever committed to film. There are so many aspects of the storyline that has never left me ever since I saw the movie almost five years ago. Just like Life is Beautiful there is the external and internal images and story in this picture. The external is a family comedy that will make you laugh as many things seem so outrageous. However internally, FG is a movie about drug addiction, child sexual abuse, a true sacrificial love story with one way traffic, how a person can cope with disability without committing suicide, the nature of God when something terrible happens to you, prostitution and so much more besides. Tell me one other movie that can handle these subjects and still make you laugh throughout while telling you important moral lessons?
Unlike other so called romance movies like Titanic, FG was not based on lust rather an understanding and fidelity of other persons' characters. If Forrest Gump is a bit dumb he makes up for it with his saint like character. What made this movie tragic is the long time span in which Forrest is in love with his girl and would do almost anything for her and yet she disrespects him because he is mentally disabled, he is not 'normal'. Yet the people Jenny hangs around with are spiritually and morally 'abnormal'. If people can't relate to this maybe it is beyond their understanding and comprehension as they have never been in that position.
Forrest may not be able to verbalise the meaning of love, but his actions put 'normal' people to shame and some. Where else in a modern film do you see the hero being rejected by a gril or even genuinely wanting to get married, only in the old classics I suppose!! Forrest always has the hope of a better future, he teaches the audience that you should always have an aim to look forward to and that will help to keep you sane under misfortune, even if it's simply running down the road to owning a business. In addition, the movie shows that no matter what your disability you can still make a contribution to society and other people's lives. If this is not a powerful message I have never seen or heard one. Forrest knows that Jenny is the only girl he has got a chance with to be his wife, which makes the story even sadder as we see Jenny living a life on the edge. Even at the ending we are unsure whether Forrest is really looking after his son, but as long it is Jenny's and she is his, he does not mind. Maybe this is a blind type of love, but he also loves Jenny like a biblical prodigal sister and he does not realise that he may have AIDS too. However FG gives hope to many millions of people around the world who are disabled and feel socially excluded in society. As the years roll by I still think about this movie which shows aspects of life which are heart wretchingly profound if you look beyond the external window. If this isn't a 10/10 movie I have not seen one.