Forrest Gump

1994's FORREST GUMP has that narrative sweep that I just can't seem to resist.  For me, there's something  enticing about the epic aspirations of a story in its efforts to cover a lot of ground and cram lots of fanciful events into a sprawling timeline.  Often, a character is reflecting on his life, as in LITTLE BIG MAN.  Forrest Gump is a cognitive challenged man sitting at a bus stop one afternoon.  He feels compelled to recount his past to strangers, who at first seem bored and put off by his deliberate, ponderous drawl.  But as the stories grow more colorful, folks are content to wait and catch the next bus.

Tom Hanks (leading a fine cast) plays the title character and I have to say that I bought every moment of it.  Somehow the actor suppressed his usual wiseguy Everyman.  All those patented mannerisms, some that even emerged in his fine performance in PHILADELPHIA the year before.  I think it is a  very heartfelt portrayal.  And as interesting as the plot of this movie may get, none of it would matter without Hanks absolutely nailing it.

FORREST GUMP begins in the 1950s when the slow but amiable Forrest is just a boy living with his momma (Sally Field) on a plantation in Greenbow, Alabama.  From the beginning, he will brush with notables and be present for many significant milestones of the Baby Boom generation.  Inadvertently teaching Elvis how to dance.  Witnessing the George Wallace schoolhouse door stand at the University of Alabama.  Meeting JFK. Serving in Vietnam.  Ending up at a Black Panther meeting.  Joining the '70s running craze, albeit with a bit more zeal than most.  He will inspire others, one of whom will create the "Have a Nice Day" logo.  Get rich from the shrimping boat business (and Apple stock).  The list goes on.

The film also follows Forrest's childhood friend Jenny (Robin Wright), whose life isn't so serendipitous.  A product of an abusive home, she will have a rocky odyssey through the excesses of the '60s and '70s.  Unlike Forrest, she's cursed with self-awareness.  She will mostly reject his unfailing loyalty and protection as he inexplicably shows up at key moments to save her from loutish men.  There's a study to be done here.

And many have accused FORREST GUMP of being a Conservative tract, of sorts.  Indicting the counterculture, which Jenny represents. Embracing a straight and narrow, which Forrest represents.    I can't say too much more without spoiling the outcome, but the Spoiler Statute of Limitations has long run out, invisible audience.

I always responded to director Robert Zemeckis' film on an emotional level, and in that regard it works just so beautifully.  I always laugh and cry when I watch it, unashamedly.  Just seeing that feather, which seems to represent the unpredictability of life, makes me all misty.  Everything works for a hugely satisfying experience.  Zemeckis' direction is nimble and controlled.  He gets the tone of Winston Groom's novel, and while maintaining some of the darker elements manages to fashion a crowd pleaser that isn't as contrived and manipulative as much Hollywood fare.

Or, maybe it is, but I still really dig it.