Review of Forrest Gump (1994) by Stefan G — 28 Jan 2015

This is the kind of trash is that guaranteed to get mainstream popularity because it thrives on sheer sentimentality. My big problem with the bloated story of Forrest Gump is that it takes you through the most turbulent chapters of American history (up until 1982) through the eyes of a complete moron who coasts his way through life, bumbling around like an imbecile, all while making appearances on national television and earning awards.

I find it completely pretentious that Forrest Gump is somehow influencing the course of history, because not only is it unrealistic, but also because it sends the message that you can be rewarded for not even trying to do anything of worth.

I understand that there's some kind of message to this film, and to me, that message is that it's okay to be naïve and ignorant, which I feel is a dangerous message to send. As for Forrest's character, he's a decent guy who, I'll admit, has his good moments, but he's not the best character to look up to at all, which is bad if the producers intended him to be a role model.

To me, this is the kind of self-indulgent film that tries to shove itself down your throat with every schmaltzy tactic at the producers' disposal. It's the kind of sentimental fantasy that requires a very severe suspension of disbelief to accept, and that's really the most jarring aspect of it, apart from the whole "stupid is as stupid does" nonsense.