Forrest Gump Is An American Classic

A movie that ends as well as it starts. It’s nearly three hours long yet it never looses its steam. The story is very eclectic but at the same time everything serves a purpose. All of the characters are memorable and likable. The themes are profound, they strike a balance between having easy to understand messages but also having more to uncover beneath those basic messages. The movie doesn’t really leave you with an answer to the question “is life destined or random” but that’s fine because you can come up with your own conclusion based on the events you witnessed. There are many light hearted elements to this movie but darkness lurks around the corner of every scene, which is a perfect vibe considering the story features a simple man growing up in 20th century America. Vietnam, Watergate, Ruby Bridges, John Lennon, AIDS, drugs, this movie tackles many interesting and difficult topics in a way that feels realistic rather than showy. The movie looks beautiful and the visual effects are fantastic. The scenes where Forrest is placed next to Lennon, JFK, etc. still look impressive to this day. And to top all of this, it’s just a fun movie. It doesn’t feel like it’s trying to be a masterpiece, it just comes naturally to the movie given all of the talent behind it. One of the best Best Picture winners, even if Pulp Fiction probably deserved it.

Edit: Another great aspect of this movie is the soundtrack. I wouldn’t listen to the soundtrack on its own since it’s mostly pop songs, but the main reason why the soundtrack works so well is because it works as a clock for the movie. There’s never a moment where Forrest has to narrate the year awkwardly because the songs tell you. When “Go Your Own Way” plays it not only fits the energetic vibe of the scene but it also lets you know that he’s running across America in the early 70’s. It’s the textbook example of a good soundtrack because it feels built into the movie rather than slapped on.