The film "Forrest Gump": reviews of critics and viewers

In the mid-90's Robert Zemeckis - the legendary creator of the cult trilogy "Back to the Future", unexpectedly shoots a film about the fate of a mentally retarded boy. Many at first were skeptical about this venture, but were soon amazed. After all, the new film "Forrest Gump" has become one of the best in the world cinema, and even today does not give up its positions. What is the uniqueness of this project, and how did its critics and ordinary viewers accept it?

Film 1994 "Forrest Gump"

This picture by Robert Zemeckis was released on 23.07.1994. Almost immediately after the premiere, it became a hit and collected more than 670 million dollars worldwide. In addition, "Forrest Gump" has entered the top hundred films of all time.

For this tape, the film crew was awarded 6 "Oscars", 3 "Golden Globes" and a dozen of the most prestigious awards in the world of cinema.

In addition to all of the above, some of the phrases from the film ("Run, Forrest, run!", "Life, like a box of chocolates ...") became winged.

In many ways, the film "Forrest Gump" influenced the film culture. So references to this picture can be found in "Soldiers of failure", "Fight Club", "The Simpsons", "Friends", "Runaway", etc.

Plot

What is this tape about? About the life of a small boy with mental disabilities.

At the beginning of the tape, very young Forrest, along with his mother, lives in a huge mansion, not far from a small fictional town of Greenbaugh. He does not have a father, and Mrs. Gump has one.

Despite a small mental retardation, his mother does not stop at anything to give his son a chance to grow up normal. She manages to ensure that the retarded boy still goes to school for normal children and even finished it.

During his studies, Forrest gets acquainted with a girl from a nearby farm named Jenny. She becomes his friend and the love of all life. Meanwhile, the fate of a girlfriend is not sugar: her mother died when the girl was only 5 years old. My father drinks and tortures Jenny and her sister. Because of such a difficult childhood, when Gamp's friend grows up, she goes on an incline - leaves the house, becomes a stripper, a drug addict and a prostitute.

In the meantime, Forrest's business is much better. Possessing the ability to run well, he gets into the local football team, and thanks to his athletic achievements, Gump is admitted to the university.

At the end, the guy gets into the army, and then he is sent to fight in Vietnam. During one of the operations in the jungle, Forrest manages to take out most of his detachment from the shelling, for which he receives a medal. However, his close friend and co-worker Babba, despite all the efforts of Gump, dies. In memory of him, a friend decides to help his mother and realize the cherished dream of the deceased - to buy a boat for catching shrimp and to do this business.

A little earlier, while lying in the hospital, the hero discovered in himself the talent to play table tennis. Soon he becomes the champion in this sport and, having acted in advertising, earns a decent amount of money. For these funds, Forrest buys a boat and tries to realize the dream of the dead Babba.

Another comrade Gampa, Lieutenant Dan, rescued in Vietnam, lost both legs because of the wound. Becoming crippled, he takes offense at the whole world (including Forrest, who did not let him die a heroic death). Once, Dan promised that if Gump bought a ship, he would go to the sailors. The lieutenant kept his word and joined Forrest in catching shrimp. Due to a string of accidents, comrades manage to get rich. Later Dan successfully invests the earnings into Apple shares and they both become millionaires.

Returning home, Gump decides to help people and cut grass for everyone around. Forrest's mother dies of cancer, and Jenny, having decided to tie with her past, moves to him. However, when the hero invites her to marry him, the girl refuses, because she considers herself unworthy. She spends the night with a guy and runs away from him.

In upset feelings, Gump does not know what to do, and just runs where his eyes look. Gradually, this race is getting longer and longer, and so almost 3 years Forrest runs around the country. Thanks to this, he again becomes famous.

He finds Jenny. It turns out that after the night with Gump, she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. However, now the girl is sick with an unknown virus (a hint of AIDS). Forrest marries her and cares for her beloved until her death.

The painting ends on the fact that the hero remains in his house with his son and sends him to study in school.

The novel by Winston Groom "Forrest Gump" (1986) and his differences from the film

Not every fan of the picture knows that a few years before her release on the screen, Winston Grum had published the book Forrest Gump. It was on its basis that Eric Roth wrote the script for the painting of the same name.

Although the general storyline in the original and the film adaptation is the same, there are tangible differences between them.

First of all, this is the image of the protagonist. In the tape Forrest is presented as a person with a small mental retardation. In this book, he (as well as the hero of "The Man of the Rain") suffers from savagery (a deviation in the general intellectual development, combined with genius in certain spheres).

In addition, in the novel Gump enjoys life much more. In addition to Jenny, he has sexual relations with other women. He also tries drugs.

Distinguishes the final in the book - in it, Jenny is still alive, and Forrest is just setting up his shrimp business.

The Sequel of Forrest Gump - Gump and Co (1995)

After the release of the film, Groom wrote the continuation of the novel - Gump and Co. In this story, the protagonist is more like a screen version of his own, but in general, the style of writing corresponds to the first part.

According to the story of Gump and Co, after the death of Jenny Forrest loses all his money and is forced to wander around the world in search of earnings for the care of his son. Periodically, he is the ghost of Jenny, who admonishes him.

The protagonist gets into a lot of rework and participates in many historical events, including the destruction of the Berlin Wall. In this work appear new characters and heroes, familiar from the novel "Forrest Gump".

The book reviews collected less enthusiastic than the first, although in general it was very warmly received by readers.

In the reader's reviews, there was an especially marked episode in which Forrest met Tom Hanks - the performer of his role in the cinema.

In the early 2000's Zemeckis intended to film this novel. But after the events of September 11, 2001, he abandoned this venture, arguing his decision by saying that the world had changed too much and would no longer be interested in this story.

"Forrest Gump" (film, 1994): actors

In addition to a good script and the excellent work of the crew, its success is, of course, due to the actors. Who are they?

First of all, it is worth noting the performer of the role of an adult Gump - Tom Hanks (for this work he was awarded the "Oscar" and "Golden Globe").

Other outstanding actors of the movie "Forrest Gump" are Gary Siniz (Lieutenant Dan) and Haley Joel Osment (son of Forrest).

Special highlight of the project were the performers of the roles of Jenny and Mrs. Gump - Robin Wright and Sally Field. Each of these wonderful actresses managed to translate on the screen very realistic images of women who, despite their mistakes in the past, find the strength to live on and be happy.

References of the film to real historical events

Among the 6 "Oscars" received by the painting, 2 were for excellent editing and special effects. Handed them knowingly. After all, with the help of clever editing in the tape "Forrest Gump", "actors" such as John Lennon, John Kennedy, Richard Nixon and other famous personalities of American history in the mid-20th century appeared.

As for the important events allegedly influenced by the unlucky Forrest, one of them was the famous Watergate scandal, because of which Nixon had to leave the presidency. Gump also inspired Elvis Presley to create his branded dance movement, and John Lennon suggested the idea of the Imagine song.

In addition to all this, it was Forrest that involuntarily invented the logo "Smiley", and also became the author of the idiom Shit happens.

He also witnessed such events as the appearance of the first black students in the universities of Alabama and the anti-war rally in Washington.

The problems and images of the film

A lot of important problems are raised by "Forrest Gump" (1994 film). In particular, this is the inability of people to accept those who are different from them.

Throughout the picture, most acquaintances consider Gump a fool and an eccentric, sometimes mocking him. At the same time it is Forrest that becomes for them a savior who helps to overcome stereotypes and to reconcile with oneself.

For example, Lieutenant Dan was a hereditary soldier, and believed that his fate, like that of his ancestors - either become a hero, or die on the battlefield. However, because of Gump, he survived, but remained a cripple. Once not ready for this scenario, Dan sank to the very bottom of the public, cursing everyone, including God and Forrest. But thanks to the simplicity and sympathy of the latter, the cripple gradually assumes its destiny and gains peace with itself and happiness. To emphasize the spiritual rebirth of this character, in the finale he appears with his Asian wife, although at first he hated this race, considering its representatives as the culprits of his tragedy.

Another problem that focuses on Forrest Gump (1994 film) is the indifference of the society to disadvantaged families and the doom of those who come from them.

A vivid example of this is the fate of Jenny. Early losing her mother, she suffered for many years the bullying of her father. It is noteworthy that the whole district knew about this - but no one interfered and helped the poor girl. Not having prospects in life and a special talent (like Forrest), Jenny was forced to use her beauty and, changing the line of lovers, slipped to prostitution and died of AIDS. At every stage of her life the heroine, like a wall, stumbles upon the human indifference and disgust of others, and only the long-suffering love of the protagonist gives her the strength to press on.

"Forrest Gump": critical reviews positive

Soon after the release on the screens this tape was greeted with a flurry of enthusiasm from critics around the world.

Chicago's Suntimes and Time literally blossomed in praise, calling this tape a modern classic only a month after its premiere.

Most of all "Forrest Gump" reviews positive from film critics deserved for depicting the split of American society on the examples of the protagonist and the heroine. Thus, the Pulitzer Prize winner Roger Ebert wrote in his review that each of them concentrates in itself the most typical features of Americans.

Forrest is the embodiment of loyalty, nobility and unselfishness. Because of dementia, his eyes are not clouded by social prejudice, and he sees the world more clearly, so it is easier for him to be happy.

In the image of Jenny is concentrated the eternal desire of Americans to look for something new, to experiment. Throughout her life, this girl tries to choose her place in life. She tries to become a singer, participates in the hippy movement, seeks answers through drugs. The heroine always dreams of meeting the ideal guy - an intelligent, wealthy, courageous, serving a noble purpose. However, she does not notice every time that this is her childhood friend.

The happy reunion of the main characters in the finals, according to Ebert, is the embodiment of the cherished American dream: to unite society into a single whole. By the way, the critic himself put the highest score.

In the discussion of the tape "Forrest Gump" reviews of some critics concerned directly the performer of the main role - actor T. Hanks. James Berardinelli draws a parallel between his play in Forrest Gump and the Big. The reason for this comparison is that in both paintings Hanks played an adult child with a soul.

Famous in the past, the actress and director of Paramount Pictures, Sherry Lansing, analyzing the tape "Forrest Gump" (film, 1994), expressed surprise at such a grandiose success of the picture. Being well versed in the film business, Lansing predicted the project a profit of one and a half hundred million in the US. In this case, the tape only at home collected 2 times more.

Negative reviews

Not all critics who looked "Forrest Gump", reviews about the film left positive. So, the American Todd McCarthy, although he praised the picture, but criticized the excessive fairy-tale love of Forrest and Jenny.

The correspondent of the New York Times, Janet Maslin, found the tape oversaturated with visual effects, music and costumes. In addition, the woman categorically did not like the discrepancy between the picture and the original book. At the same time, Maslin compared Forrest with the heroine of classical American literature - Polianna.

Colleague Maslin - David Ensen from Newsweek, also criticized the tension and unrealistic relations of the main characters. In addition, he did not like the excessive sentimental mood of the picture, which the correspondent called "an attempt to squeeze a tear from the viewer."

Despite all these negative reviews, "Forrest Gump", according to most critics (even those who did not particularly like it), is a masterpiece of world cinema.

Spectator reviews

Having considered what experts have said about this tape, it is worth paying attention to ordinary viewers. How did they perceive the film "Forrest Gump"?

The responses of ordinary people who watched this tape are mostly positive in nature. So, for example, in 2017 on the world-famous Metacritic site this rating still retains a rating of 82%, based on 17 positive spectator reviews and 2 mixed ones. This is despite the fact that many modern projects can not and 70% recruit.

As for the reviews left by the audience at numerous domestic film forums, they are also laudatory.

Also, some viewers note that the picture helped them cope with the problems associated with the disability of their children.

Many, judging by the reviews, made it easier to look at the world and taught them to enjoy life "Forrest Gump" (film, 1994).

Some priests leave comments about this painting, calling it a parable. In particular, they consider the protagonist to be an ideal Christian, capable not only of blindly obeying God's will, but also actively fighting evil. Also in this category of reviews, often discuss the image of Lieutenant Dan and his way to reconciliation with God.

In conclusion, I want to note that this film did not leave any of those watching "Forrest Gump" indifferent, and even those who did not like it found something interesting for themselves.