Growing up my family had a relatively small movie collection. We had a few classics on VHS including the original Star Wars trilogy, Singin’ in the Rain, the Wizard of Oz, and incidentally Forrest Gump. I got around to watching most of all the good movies we had but Forrest Gump got left out, and so Friday I had the pleasure of experiencing the narrative for the first time.
One question raised by the film is: would you rather live as Forrest Gump with a low IQ and his mental handicap, yet experience all that he was able to, or would you rather live an uncertain life but be able to fully appreciate and understand all that’s happening around you (let’s say you’re guaranteed a high IQ and perhaps then a great amount of life wisdom)? The response from the film seems to be that at the very least there isn’t a big distinction here, or perhaps Gump’s life is lived more fully despite his mental shortcomings. One of the most spectacular elements is that Gump seems to have a tremendous amount of wisdom for someone of his IQ, and it seems all too believable. Nonetheless, I don’t think the film drives this point too hard – there’s still plenty of ambiguity around it. I mean I think it’s clear the film isn’t pushing for a completely laid back/apathetic lifestyle, but in a way it sort of is. Regardless, there’s plenty of thematic richness to unpack. And it just so happens to be tied up in a masterfully narrated biopic. Tom Hanks performance is undoubtedly among the best of any movie ever – certainly comparable to that of Robert De Niro’s Rain Man, Russell Crowe’s John Nash, Eddie Redmayne’s Stephen Hawking, and Marlon Brando’s Godfather. Even the special effects are unique and impressive. Here are some questions to think about
- What did Forrest say about Vietnam in DC? Why was it silenced?
- Why did Jenny leave Forrest and not tell him about their child until after she was diagnosed with a disease?
- What was in the note left by Little Forrest to his mother’s grave?
- Will Little Forrest ever be able to live up to his father’s legacy/have a life like his father’s?