It’s been a long time since I have seen forrest gump. I didnt like it very
much the first time. Red blooded male that I am, I couldn’t for the life
of me figure out why they didnt make the movie about jenny.There it seemed
to me was a story worth the telling. somebody who held on to the idealism
of life, wanting all through to believe.
Instead forrest gump seems to think a screwball comedy about life as seen through the eyes of a quasi-incoherent tom hanks is what we all really need. The movie makes me furious at its attempts to exploit hanks’ ineptitude and thereby make him do things we ’normally’ wouldnt. It is remarkably shameless in its attempts to use hanks as a posterboy from events ranging from the ww2 all the way to vietnam. hanks’ unquestioning insistence is supposed to show character(i played ping pong and more ping pong). What passes for humor leaves a bad taste in my mouth especially the ’then I kept on running bit’. The movie’s fundamental argument seems to be that since hanks was flawed in some ways he could experience life better. where does that leave the rest of us?
I agree that hanks cam out of his life a better human being than most of us can only hope to be. But the movie thinks he did it because he didnt have to think so much. Further insults to hanks character include his stumbling upon greatness in most instances and the same stonefaced acceptance. I recall a scene where jenny comes home to him and is gone the next morning. And the enormous cinematic potential is left unexplored pfft! just like that.
Also the fact that she dies was a bit hard for me to stomach- almost made me cry. I have nothing against gump. I just cannot stand him being touted around as a role model. And no it’s not funny.