Movie: Forrest Gump
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Cast: Tom Hanks, Robert Wright Penn, Sally Fields
Rating: ****
Forrest Gump articulates the American dream in a novel way. The premise is simple: even a dimwit can be a hero and play a historic role in the good ‘ole US as long as he’s benevolent and guileless. Gump is one such low-IQ hero who loves his mother, loves his girlfriend, loves his nation and does his bit of national-building by being present through all pivotal moments in the American history from the ‘60s to the ‘80s.
He’s the guy who shows Elvis how to shake his hips; the soldier who saves American lives in Vietnam; the hero who shakes hands with JFK; the sprinter guru who runs through the length and breadth of America, showcasing the simple truth that nice guys do finish first. And he’s the devoted lover who finds the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, after his girlfriend goes through the regular rebel-without-a-cause angst of the ‘70s.
With Hanks in great form, this one is truly feel-good cinema.
