A fairy tale, but then much more.

Rating: Null/10 (10 April 2000)

This movie is a fairy tale, and its review of US history is oversimplified at best. But because the movie does not claim realism, these things don't bother me the way they normally do. The movie is light and mostly funny while you watch it, but what sticks is much deeper. It is a modern version of a classic literary theme: the idiot who is thereby wiser than the rest of us. Forrest is too dumb to hate blacks. He is too dumb not to keep his promises and give away his money. He is too dumb not to save Lt. Dan, twice, once in battle and later, through continued good will and positive attitude, from himself. He is too dumb to give up on his hopeless love. One is left inspired by this modern morality play, inspired to try to be a little better person, in hopes that in real life goodness might have just a bit of the effects it has in this movie.
I watched this movie with my kids, ages 10 and 13. It was more explicit than I expected for a PG-13, and halfway through I wondered if I had made a mistake showing it to them. But no, it was a very good movie for them, for the reasons discussed above. Also for another reason: their knowledge of the times of the movie was limited, and their questions from the movie led to several good discussions.