New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

The tale starts out with his childhood in the 1950s, where we learn Gump was vulnerable from the start. Compared to other children he is a bit challenged, and physically he is so limited he must wear braces on his ankles. Through his limitations we see little Forrest responsible, in a very intriguing way, for some of the dance moves of one Elvis Presley. Audiences laugh and are amazed at the same time, even as one of the other students asks him if he is “stupid or something?”

As the film progresses, the frame story has the present day Forrest pleasantly interacting on the park bench, recollecting his life story. To the other people waiting at the bus stop, it is almost background noise, to Forrest it is just part of the moment.

Another example of the random goodness and luck in the character is a scene where former school fellows bully him. Forrest bolts away, fleeing so fast he gets noticed by a university football coach, thus allowing him to go to college. The film is full of this innocent time machine magic. Other remarkable scenes include Gump meeting Kennedy in a hilarious interaction, serving time in Vietnam and saving his entire squad, meeting President Johnson in another great sequence, and hosts of others.

As the background sequences shift to the 1970s, Gump continues to have odd but touching interactions with famous historical events. In a roundabout way, he is responsible for bringing down the Nixon Administration, and he competes in high level ping pong tournament. One of the most touching parts of the film is Gump’s relationship with Lt. Dan, (Gary Sinise) who was wounded during his service in Vietnam. Gump was always the one with the disadvantage, but when Lt. Dan struggles with his own scars and wounds, Forrest‘s simple world view is the best medication.

In one of the film’s most memorable transitions, events move to the late 1970s and early 80s. Gump sports an unshaven, grungy look and runs across the country. “Run Forrest, Run” is movie quote that is now part of national dialogue.

Forest Gump is such a successful film because of its messages about life. In a world overwhelmed with complex gadgets, selfishness, and instant satisfaction, it is even better to watch now than when it first came out. It is a nice reminder that beauty and everyday life don’t always have to be looked for, sometimes they are around us in every moment. This realization wouldn’t have been possible without Hanks’ strong performance.

Audiences and critics agreed, as Forrest Gump was the rare film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture and Tom Hanks came away with the Oscar for Best Actor.

3) Apollo 13 (1995)

This is perhaps Hanks’ only film that fits the science fiction genre, and it is a masterpiece. It is a once a in a decade picture where the audience knows almost every single thing that is going to happen and they still walk away impressed. Hanks teamed with Ron Howard for this one.

He plays astronaut Jim Lovell, who, as the space program runs into budget cuts and suffers from technical difficulties, does not know if he will get his chance to go to the moon. The first several minutes set the stage nicely with the hope, anxiety, and competitive spirit of the astronauts. They understand this is their shot, that only a handful of men have done what they are striving to accomplish. Hanks is uplifting and committed in his role as family man and wannabe moonwalker.

Even before the mission starts, Hanks is commanding. The best example of this is the scene where doctors inform one of his crew, Ken Mattingly, (Gary Sinise) that he has recently been exposed to the measles, preventing his presence on the mission. In a very complex interaction, based on the safety of the other men involved, Miller informs Mattingly it was his call. The seriousness between friends and professionals was very well portrayed on screen.

Continued:       1       2       3       4