Do You Hate Forrest Gump?

[TheMojoPin]

I was reading the comments at the AV Club's review of the new FG DVD (http://www.avclub.com/articles/forrest-gump,35488/) and it got my curious as to what the general consensus of this film is 15 years after the fact.

Personally, I'm kind of indifferent to it. Most of my friends seem to fucking hate it, but I can't bring myself to get that worked up over it. It's an incredibly simple film, it makes it clear what it sets out to do and accomplishes it, so I can't really fault it along those lines. I dunno, railing against this movie seems like getting furious at a Hallmark card store: it is what it is.

It does suck that it won all of the Oscars it did the same year that Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption and Ed Wood came out, but hey, how often do the Oscars get things right?

I guess the only thing that bugs me about the film are the theories about its "politics" and how it seems to be encouraging a kind of blank, mindless conformity as the path to happiness (or at least success, since Forrest definitely goes through some shit) while the character that continually rebels and attempts to break out on their own, Jenny, is consistently beaten down (sometimes literally) by the decades and then dies of AIDS. That'll learn her!

What say you?

[TeeBone]

Not only do I hate Forrest Gump, but I also hate any/all films that take place in The south where actors are incapable of picking up a Southern accent.

[TripleSkeet]

I guess the only thing that bugs me about the film are the theories about its "politics" and how it seems to be encouraging a kind of blank, mindless conformity as the path to happiness (or at least success, since Forrest definitely goes through some shit) while the character that continually rebels and attempts to break out on their own, Jenny, is consistently beaten down (sometimes literally) by the decades and then dies of AIDS. That'll learn her!

What say you?

I liked the film. I understand what youre saying about how it might try to keep people conforming, but I think if you look a little more closely thats really not what its saying.

The guy disobeys direct orders at war and it winds up being the best thing he could do.

He takes his money and risks everything to start up a business he knows nothing about and wins up becoming a millionaire.

If anything I think it shows that anyone can get lucky, if they just keep going forward when things arent going their way. But then again, I try not to look too deep into movies. I just sit back and see if they can entertain me. Im easy to please.

As far as Jenny goes, I dont think it was as much punishing someone that rebels as much as showing the excesses of the 70s and 80s. I mean its not like her story hasnt been shared by thousands. If anything she at least redeemed herself and straightened out before it caught up to her. Where they couldve just as easily made her OD.

[El Mudo]

I once read a review somewhere that said the film was basically "the Boomer Generation's love letter to itself", which I think is a very apt description.

I loathe that generation, but the film doesn't really bother me simply because of that fact...i'm pretty much indifferent to it. It doesn't really speak to me, or affect me in any way. I will say that as far as a sweeping "story" movie like Gump is, Shawshank was much better.

[drusilla]

I always liked the movie. I always thought it was a fun little fantasy of a story. Extremely far fetched, but did a really great job of showing the history of our country through innocent eyes.


I've also heard Benjamin Button be compared to Forest Gump. They are definitely similar and doesn't seem to get the same kind of hipster backlash that Gump got.

[El Mudo]

I was reading the comments at the AV Club's review of the new FG DVD (http://www.avclub.com/articles/forrest-gump,35488/) and it got my curious as to what the general consensus of this film is 15 years after the fact.

Personally, I'm kind of indifferent to it. Most of my friends seem to fucking hate it, but I can't bring myself to get that worked up over it. It's an incredibly simple film, it makes it clear what it sets out to do and accomplishes it, so I can't really fault it along those lines. I dunno, railing against this movie seems like getting furious at a Hallmark card store: it is what it is.

It does suck that it won all of the Oscars it did the same year that Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption and Ed Wood came out, but hey, how often do the Oscars get things right?

I guess the only thing that bugs me about the film are the theories about its "politics" and how it seems to be encouraging a kind of blank, mindless conformity as the path to happiness (or at least success, since Forrest definitely goes through some shit) while the character that continually rebels and attempts to break out on their own, Jenny, is consistently beaten down (sometimes literally) by the decades and then dies of AIDS. That'll learn her!

What say you?


That type of view bugs me as well. Forrest is the ultimate impartial observer, down to where you don't even hear his speech at the Lincoln Memorial. He's basically there for the audience to experience the general "60s and 70s Experience" archetype through him. He's the broadest character in the broadest movie ever. There's no depth to his character, even at his most "dramatic" moments in the picture, and anyone who tries to argue that "conformist route" that you mention above is CLEARLY reading too much into the movie or trying to push their own pseudo-60s agenda.

[El Mudo]

I always liked the movie. I always thought it was a fun little fantasy of a story. Extremely far fetched, but did a really great job of showing the history of our country through innocent eyes.


I've also heard Benjamin Button be compared to Forest Gump. They are definitely similar and doesn't seem to get the same kind of hipster backlash that Gump got.

Button at least had a different type of gimmick (man who ages backward) and a murkier time frame (mid Teens through late 60s), so I can see why that kind of avoided some of the backlash given to Gump. I think a lot of that is also due to what Gump beat out for Best Picture, which I can understand, because I STILL hate Rolling Stone for naming Pinkerton the Worst Album of 1996 (even though I don't project that on to Weezer, at least classic Weezer).

[drusilla]

Button at least had a different type of gimmick (man who ages backward) and a murkier time frame (mid Teens through late 60s), so I can see why that kind of avoided some of the backlash given to Gump. I think a lot of that is also due to what Gump beat out for Best Picture, which I can understand, because I STILL hate Rolling Stone for naming Pinkerton the Worst Album of 1996 (even though I don't project that on to Weezer, at least classic Weezer).

i'm sure david fincher directing the picture instead of robert zemekis has a lot to do with it's credibility as well.

[TripleSkeet]

I've also heard Benjamin Button be compared to Forest Gump. They are definitely similar and doesn't seem to get the same kind of hipster backlash that Gump got.

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1897317

[drusilla]

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1897317

hahahah

only problem with it is that they picked the wrong black dude in benjamin button. c'mon people there were only 2!! not hard to tell which was which!

[A.J.]

I liked it when it was called Zelig.

[TheMojoPin]

I've also heard Benjamin Button be compared to Forest Gump. They are definitely similar and doesn't seem to get the same kind of hipster backlash that Gump got.

I think it has, mainly due to both films being written by the same guy.

[Snoogans]

terrible. I hated it. It bores me and its just retarded. You would have a better chance of convincing me that Keanu Reeves actually played D1 college football than you would that this retard can do anything

[A.J.]

terrible. I hated it. It bores me and its just retarded. You would have a better chance of convincing me that Keanu Reeves actually played D1 college football than you would that this retard can do anything

Most D1 athletes are retarded as Gump.

[JimBeam]

I can't even bring myself to watch thee whole thing.

I'm not really a Tom Hanks fan because I think he's overrated and I don't see the big deal but with that said I did enjoy a few films he was in ( Saving Private Ryan, The Bonfire of the Vanities ).

In the movie's defense I did like the gimmick w/ the character running into famous people.

[El Mudo]

Most D1 athletes are retarded as Gump.

Most of them seem to gravitate towards Tennessee nowadays

[TheMojoPin]

I I'm not really a Tom Hanks fan because I think he's overrated and I don't see the big deal but with that said I did enjoy a few films he was in ( Saving Private Ryan, The Bonfire of the Vanities ).

You're the only one.

[Death Metal Moe]

Fairly indifferent. It wasn't awful but it wasn't as great as people built it up to be.

Kinda like every movie ever made.

[TheMojoPin]

Fairly indifferent. It wasn't awful but it wasn't as great as people built it up to be.

Kinda like every movie ever made.

You're the Gvac of pop culture.

[fezident]

I loved that movie. Still do.
I see it as a fantastical voyage through time and events. I feel similarly towards Big Fish, The Wizard Of Oz, and Benjamin Button. I don't go in expecting logic or realism. I go in to see a character go through something that I (or no other human) could ever go through.

I don't weigh myself down with how accurate the timelines are. Or the believability of his football prowess. Or the fact that Dorothy's dog Toto is STILL gonna cremated once Dorothy "returns" to Kansas. Or...... yada yada yada.

I like the journey. If it's done well... that's all I need. I think Gump was done well.

[TheMojoPin]

I guess my beef would be that there is no journey. He doesn't really "do" anything...everything happens to or around him. Every step in his life is due to somebody else. I understand the idea that he's our "eyes" in the film, but that's really all he is. He's effectively just a walking sounding board that everyone else just bounces shit off of.

[A.J.]

I guess my beef would be that there is no journey. He doesn't really "do" anything...everything happens to or around him. Every step in his life is due to somebody else. I understand the idea that he's our "eyes" in the film, but that's really all he is. He's effectively just a walking sounding board that everyone else just bounces shit off of.

Hence:

http://janolaf.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/forrest-gump-feather.jpg

[grlNIN]

I will watch Forrest Gump any & every time it's on, i'm looking at you SpikeTV.

I'm a sucker for a movie with a great soundtrack and Gump might be that quintessential movie. Tom Hanks' performance is irrelevant in comparison to the story itself.

[epo]

It's a fucking embarrassment and I hate to agree with Mojo about anything, but the political statement it makes are just so boring and conformist.

[GregoryJoseph]

I saw it once and thought it dragged, but I think that about 90% of the movies I see.

I have never had any desire to see it again, so I voted indifference.

[JohnCharles]

Lt. Dan was a dickhead.

[underdog]

It's a fucking embarrassment and I hate to agree with Mojo about anything, but the political statement it makes are just so boring and conformist.

You guys agree on everything.

[Ocho Cinco]

I think it has, mainly due to both films being written by the same guy.

i def did not realize that but now that you say that i can totally see it, very similar films in that aspect.

that being said i'm a big fan of the movie. i don't think it tries to be more then it is, people just make it out that way because it won awards. but it had a great soundtrack, i'm a big tom hanks fan and i found the entire film very enjoyable, plus a great performance by gary sinise. just an all around well made film, i guess i can understand the hate but if you're watching forrest gump for politics you're probably taking it too seriously

[Snoogans]

i def did not realize that but now that you say that i can totally see it, very similar films in that aspect.

that being said i'm a big fan of the movie. i don't think it tries to be more then it is, people just make it out that way because it won awards. but it had a great soundtrack, i'm a big tom hanks fan and i found the entire film very enjoyable, plus a great performance by gary sinise. just an all around well made film, i guess i can understand the hate but if you're watching forrest gump for politics you're probably taking it too seriously

the thing i find unwatchable is that NONE OF THAT SHIT WOULD EVER HAPPEN. That retard wouldnt be able to do any of it. The only part that I find realistic is that he got into an SEC school

[Dude!]

the thing i find unwatchable is that NONE OF THAT SHIT WOULD EVER HAPPEN. That retard wouldnt be able to do any of it. The only part that I find realistic is that he got into an SEC school

i can't watch star wars
for the same reason

or the lord of the rings trilogy
or any cartoon

it's a fantasy dummie!

ps: he is intellectually disabled
not retarded

[Ritalin]

the thing i find unwatchable is that NONE OF THAT SHIT WOULD EVER HAPPEN. That retard wouldnt be able to do any of it. The only part that I find realistic is that he got into an SEC school

ah ha! Stupid rednecks!

[JohnGacysCrawlSpace]

I love a running retard.

[opie's twisted balls]

The first time I watched it (it was the chicks choice for a date movie) I thought it was OK. However, its definitely one of those flicks that gets tired quickly and isn't enjoyable when watched again.

[thepaulo]

I think anyone who doesn't like Forrest Gump needs to have his face flattened with a shovel.

[Gerald]

It's beautifully made. The acting was superb. There were so many quotable lines. It's a fucking classic across the board. Deep down the detractors know it. The venomous hatred you encounter for films like this is unadulterated posturing. I understand the story won't necessarily be everyone's cup of tea. If you don't love it, fine, but don't tell me it's a "piece of shit" or that it meant nothing to the medium at the time of its celebrated release.

Any film that crosses over to cultural monolith status is bound to be overexposed and Gump was no exception. It seems like internet people only adopt elitist or separatist attitudes toward watershed cinematic releases like this if they contain stories that affirm life. Nothing turns a hipster's nose up quicker than emotional connectivity. I like apocalyptic darkness in cinema as much as anybody, but I don't instinctively write off the significance of anything that occupies the opposite side of the spectrum. You'll never have people trying to be profound history revisionists on The Dark Knight in ten years. Beware of the black t-shirts if the narrative of your widely popular film gets within the vicinity of the heart strings for tugging purposes.

[sailor]

never cared for it. hate is too far. never liked hanks as an actor.

[TripleSkeet]

the thing i find unwatchable is that NONE OF THAT SHIT WOULD EVER HAPPEN. That retard wouldnt be able to do any of it. The only part that I find realistic is that he got into an SEC school



http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/6/6_1/montana-man-runs-across-a.shtml

http://www.usatt.org/articles/gtour/gtour05.shtml

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/09/us/09highway.html?_r=1

[thepaulo]

It's beautifully made. The acting was superb. There were so many quotable lines. It's a fucking classic across the board. Deep down the detractors know it. The venomous hatred you encounter for films like this is unadulterated posturing. I understand the story won't necessarily be everyone's cup of tea. If you don't love it, fine, but don't tell me it's a "piece of shit" or that it meant nothing to the medium at the time of its celebrated release.

Any film that crosses over to cultural monolith status is bound to be overexposed and Gump was no exception. It seems like internet people only adopt elitist or separatist attitudes toward watershed cinematic releases like this if they contain stories that affirm life. Nothing turns a hipster's nose up quicker than emotional connectivity. I like apocalyptic darkness in cinema as much as anybody, but I don't instinctively write off the significance of anything that occupies the opposite side of the spectrum. You'll never have people trying to be profound history revisionists on The Dark Knight in ten years. Beware of the black t-shirts if the narrative of your widely popular film gets within the vicinity of the heart strings for tugging purposes.

I'm a huge fan of emotional connectivity.