#12 Forrest Gump

In Summary
Home to one of the least sensical movie similes, it's Forrest Gump.

The story of how a slow and dim-witted man became a successful athlete, soldier and businessman. Instead of being played as the satire of modern America the source material was, Forrest Gump may well be one of the most earnest films in this top 100 list.

What Forrest Gump really is is the story of America between the 1950s to 1990s. This is due to Gump's incredible ability to shoehorn himself into almost all of the momentous moments in American history during that time period.

From teaching Elvis Presley his dance moves, to meeting Presidents Kennedy and Nixon, becoming one of the first Americans to visit communist China, inspiring the lyrics to John Lennon's Imagine, to investing in Apple computers, it's almost easier to list the landmarks Forrest Gump didn't stumble into.

Tom Hanks carries the heavy load of this film in his portrayal of Forrest Gump. He conveys Gump's learning difficulties without coming across as mocking or patronising. He isn't completely one-dimensional, we get a sense of what motivates and compels Gump - in particular, his undying loyalty to friends and family.

There is a tragedy at the heart of Forrest Gump, that being nice, polite and loyal isn't always returned in kind. Not least is that epitomised than in Gump's tumultuous relationship with his school-day sweetheart, Jenny. She is the woman he loves, yet she constantly pushes him away, only settling for him once she has nowhere left to go.

However, that is not quite true of the film. Forrest Gump is an incredibly lucky character despite his mental deficiencies. The love you put out into the world may not always be returned exactly in kind, but the message of the film is that the world has a habit of rewarding the good among us.

A Memorable Quote

My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

Things You May Not Know

• According to Tom Hanks, what Forrest Gump says when the microphone is pulled on him at the Vietnam rally in Washington is, "Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs. Sometimes they don't go home at all. That's a bad thing. That's all I have to say about that."
• The role of Forrest Gump was turned down by Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and John Travolta before it was offered to Tom Hanks.
• One of three movies in which Tom Hanks and Gary Sinise appear in together - Apollo 13 and The Green Mile being the others - all of which have been Oscar-nominated.

One of the Greatest of All Time?
My affection for Forrest Gump has waned over time. I initially found it incredibly compelling and heart-breaking, yet I have found on recent re-watches that the film tries a little too hard to yank on the heartstrings at every opportunity. There is an air of exploitativeness to this film - not least in having Tom Hanks playing such a mentally-handicapped character.

Nonetheless, I would still class this as a must-watch film if you have somehow avoided it in your life thus far. For both Tom Hanks' performance and the way in which it covers the expanse of modern American history, it would be difficult not to watch Forrest Gump and have been entertained, as well as having shed at least a tear or two.