Thoughtful, Funny, and Simple- More Than Meets the Eye...

Rating: 7/10 (15 September 2008)

Forrest Gump is a film that has a lot to live up to. Many people consider this one of their favorite films. Plenty of critics put it down as one the better films ever made. As someone picking it up for the first time over ten years after it was made, I was apprehensive of what to expect.
Yet, just like the character, the film Forrest Gump is never pretentious even from the very first minute. We meet Forrest sitting on a bench waiting for a bus to come. Someone sits down next to him, and Forrest begins to tell his life story. Simple, poignant, and ridiculously funny is this tale of a man who accidentally finds his way into every major event of his generation. Forrest changes the world in unimaginable ways, but all he really wants is Jenny, his childhood friend and the girl he's loved his entire life.
Yet this simplicity is where the movie's strength comes in. Everything is really very simple for a man whose IQ is no greater than 75. This simplicity deceives us into taking a whimsical tale for granted, and then surprises us with its incredibly moving final scenes. We don't quite realize how wrapped up in Forrest's world we are until we find ourselves in tears by the end. And when we leave Forrest's world, we miss him very much. We miss his easiness and simple way of living. 8/10 stars!
Jay Addison