Forrest Gump

Clean up the language, and this little roach of a movie could play the bottom half of a double bill with Rowan and Martin's “The Maltese Bippy.” [26 March 1999, Life, p.9E]

Contrasting Forrest's unassuming innocence with the upheavals and rancor of the times, the film is a wisely goofy commentary on the stupidity of smartness.

The results are skillful, highly affecting, and ultimately more than a little pernicious.

Doesn't sound like a very prepossessing title, but prepare to be taken aback by "what's in a name." [6 July 1994, Life, p.1D]

It's a long drink of water at the fountain of pop-social memory.

It's most successful when it is being off-center, a state of grace it doesn't quite have the nerve to maintain. [6 July 1994, Calendar, p. F-1]

It is also glib, shallow, and monotonous, a movie that spends so much time sanctifying its hero that, despite his "innocence," he ends up seeming about as vulnerable as Superman.

An incredible film, rarely seen before, released on November 11, 1994 one of the rare films that made me cry

Has it's moments but this is one seriously overrated movie. It gets cornier and more preposterous the longer it goes and really didn't deserve it's oscar, particularly up against Pulp Fiction.

you can tell that the film is targeting the big box office but this doesn't detract from the magic. Forrest Gump is so lovable that one moves through the whole film to watch his life path and sometimes has to smile. but the film also aims at more serious tones like the vietnam war and death in general.

Lowbrow sentimental film. You've got to work hard to suspend disbelief on this one. Others seem to love it.

A thought crossed my mind many years after viewing this picture: Forrest Gump cannot succeed as a sentimental message picture, because it's message is irresponsible. It is a message of ignorance through bliss, the idea that life would be inherently easier without our pesky brains and ideas. Hanks plays his role as best he could, but the film mistakes a remarkably sad existence for a happy one.