A story of ChanceBeing There

Rating: 10/10 (7 February 2006)

Forrest Gump, born in the 1940s, has a limited intelligence, but an unlimited heart. By following his heart he accidentally became successful : he managed to go to college because he could run fast and was dragged into playing football, go to the Vietnam war, meet John F. Kennedy, win Ping Pong championship in China, become rich by fishing shrimps and buying stocks from the Microsoft company. Yet all that time he didn't care about that at all. He only wanted to gain the love from his childhood love, Jenny. Evidently, she appears one day at his door step, desperate for money
Both Forrest Gump" and Being There" are ideologically identical films which are dead set at proving one point: all you need in life is luck. It's as simple as that. Both have retarded heroes that manage to become successful in life just by being at the right time at the right place. And both are great movies, although Being There" is unfortunately not nearly as popular. Forrest Gump", winner of 6 Oscars and 3 Golden Globes, is an extremely emotional roller-coaster with an tremendously naive and gentle hero that you just can't have the heart to hate. Such sequences, like the one where the 10-year old Forrest started running for the first time in his life, breaking those metal braces for his legs he had to wear because he couldn't walk properly, were so magical they sent shivers down my spine.
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Robert Zemeckis directs the story in a form of a vivid fairytale, not always managing to keep it logical ( would Forrest's mom really let her son go to the Vietnam war? Could Forrest really run from the east coast of the USA to the west coast? ) or consistent ( stiff ending, and come to think of it, Bill Murray would have been much better as Forrest Gump ), but still letting the positive opinion prevail, and even cleverly playing with history, stating how small often inspire the big ( like when Forrest met John Lennon in a talk show and caused him to say the words like Imagine all those people", No religion too?". We all knew where that was going ). Many have criticized this film, calling it too pathetic, racist and even politically dubious, but I don't share that opinion. After seeing it I was left amazed, and that's the only thing that matters. Forrest Gump" is together with Schindler's List", Groundhog Day", Dances with Volwes", Rushmore" and Saving Private Ryan" one of the best films of the 90s. And yet I still can't shake that feeling away that Being There" should get more credit for the success of this film.
Grade: 10/10