Not as sickly sweet as it first seems-spoiler alert!

Rating: 6/10 (14 April 2005)

OK,so straight away I've probably made a few enemies by only giving this a six.Well let me just say from the offset,I've got a lot of time for Tom Hanks,and have had since way back.Pretty much any film with him in it is sure to be of high quality and several of my all time favourites star this quality actor.I also actually like this film,its well written,well acted,well directed and the ''action''scenes are convincing.The score accompanies the drama.laughter and tears perfectly and Tom Hanks shines as the sweetly naive and childlike Forrest.Sally Field puts in a surprisingly good turn as Mrs Gump and Robin Wright Penn brings realness to the role of Jenny,and the rest of the cast are equally impressive(with perhaps the exception of Young Forrest,but i cant be harsh to the acting talents of a kid!).So i bet you're thinking,''yeah OK,so why have you scored it 6?'',well let me tell you,although the overall quality of the film is high,its the overtone of the film that bugs me.There's an undeniable right wing rhetoric running through this movie,played out through the two main and very opposite characters,Forrest and Jenny.Forrest goes through life without questioning it,he takes things very much at face value,he is told what to do by various characters throughout his life and he does it without question,and as a result he becomes a war hero,meets Presidents and makes millions.Message there?Don't question,follow orders/instructions and you will be a success in life.Then we have Jenny,shes outgoing,streetwise and lives life to the full,if not always sensibly,and what happens to her?she gets HIV and dies!So Forrest follows orders doesn't question,and gets rich.Jenny lives for fun,and gets dead.How right wing is that?!Its this subtle but definite overtone that makes me only give this otherwise classic film a 6.