Are you a Stupid? No? But our Forrest Gump is– Smart Talented Useful Person In Demand (Old one alright, but suits the context isn’t it?!)
I could not understand an iota about the movie from its name. I was wondering what ‘Forrest Gump’ would be. Usually we try to imagine a movie from its name. But for this movie, my mind was dead blank. I had zero clues about what this movie would be. That added to my advantage of enjoying every bit of this movie. When I saw the movie I came to know that the title was the name of a stupid in the movie. Tom Hanks plays the role of that stupid, rather a person who lacks spontaneity and is low in IQ.
“My given name is Benjamin Buford Blue, people call me Bubba”
“My name is Forrest Gump, people call me Forrest Gump”
Forrest Gump narrates his story from a boy to what he had become as a grown up. Every second scene will make you laugh as he narrates the situations he had been in. With a stupid as the protagonist there is so much scope for comedy and when a terrific actor plays it, LOLs and ROTFLs are assured for sure.
‘He said we need not bother about money anymore. He had invested our money in some fruit company or something. I said .. “Okie … One thing less” …’
The movie is extremely philosophical too. I am not too much interested in philosophy. But the way it was presented along with a funny storyline made even philosophy interesting. If you are short of confidence, this movie has elements to show you that even stupid can come up in life; it will teach you to love your partner like a stupid (unconditional love); it will teach you money is just one thing in life and many more. In short, the movie is a bunch of self-help books put together in an entertainment package.
A dying soldier and Forrest Gump’s Friend: “I want to go home”
Couple of scenes almost made me cry. There are many many dark sequences in the movie like Forrest’s mother selling her body to make him go to a good school, his girlfriend Jenny realizing later that her own father was actually molesting her when she was a kid. I can just think of one movie (or just a couple more) that made me react emotionally. Forrest Gump joins that scarce list.
“I don’t know if we all have a destiny; Or if we are just floating accidental-like in a breeze. Or may be both happening at the same time”
The movie begins with a feather floating around in the wind and falling at the rugged shoes of Forrest. I did not understand what it had to do with the movie, until I heard the monologue in the climax. It had to do with the theme of the movie and was one of the best poetic themes I had ever come across. I did not know that the movie had a theme until I saw the climax and when I think of the sequences again the movie never digressed from what it wanted to convey. Movies are generally either sentimental or emotional. For a change, it was a treat to watch a poetically dark movie.
The second best thing about the movie is that you will never know what is at you a funny scene or an emotional one. You will drench yourself in a cocktail of humor, philosophy and emotions. Each one of these does not spoil the other, rather compliment and enhance the intensity of each.
The best thing is Tom Hanks’ performance. If it has to be put in one word – Stunning. His gestures, his modulation and every other aspect just suit the role he plays. There are a couple of scenes that replayed again and again to enjoy the acting skills – the scene where he reacts and shows his apprehension to whether his son is not like him; the climax monologue.
No wonder the movie won 6 awards at the Oscars in 1994, including best picture and best actor for Tom Hanks. Like many other brilliant movies this movie too is adapted from a novel. I am sure most of you would have seen this movie already. If you haven’t the first thing you would plan for this weekend should be to pick up a DVD copy from somewhere and you will not regret.
Mouthshut is going to put me into trouble asking me to classify this movie in one of the genres …
-Vinayak
(Please do RRC)