I really detest this movie. Many people see it as an inspirational story about a person overcoming handicaps to make a good life for themselves. I understand that reading of the movie, but it's not mine.
I see two very unfortunate things happening in Forrest Gump. First, I don't think the film stops with "look what a mentally-challenged person can accomplish." I think the movie goes much further than that. Forrest is basically a better person than everyone else in the entire world of the movie. And he's not just better because he overcomes challenges ... I would argue that the movie makes the case that Forrest is better because he's stupid. He's simple ... he doesn't fully grasp the socio-cultural meanings of life, he's just a simple guy with a simple outlook. And, in the world of Forrest Gump, that puts him closer to god. He understands just enough to get by ... god and good luck do the rest. The unstated opposite side of that philosophy is that intelligence is a bad thing, something that just complicates your life, pulls you away from god. I find this to be a very dangerous philosophy ... I am sure our leaders would love for us all to be as simple and accepting as Forrest Gump, but me, I think it's better that we utilize our intelligence to the fullest, in order to get more out of life. I don't think the film makers agree with me.
The other thing I really hate is the character of Jenny. Jenny is the anti-Forrest ... she DOES know what's going on, she experiences the cultural milieu first hand, and she is miserable. Eventually, she gets mortally ill ... before she dies (for all of her sins, which consist of partying and politicking), she sees the light and returns to Forrest. Basically, Jenny is punished for not being stupid, punished for actually engaging in the world (Forrest just gazes at it from the outside).
Furthermore, the film's trickery, whereby Forrest and Jenny are inserted into many famous historical events, demonstrates where the movie's sympathies lie. There is no such thing in the movie Forrest Gump as a reasoned political stance. Politics, like everything else that is "of the world," is for neurotics ... only stupid people like Forrest are touched by god. And so Jenny waltzes through the various social movements of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and all of them are treated exactly the same: Jenny's participation is related to her neuroses, she only takes part because her life is empty, and protesting the war in Vietnam is exactly the same as doing coke in the disco era, that is to say, a fad for screwed-up people, something you will dump whenever a new fad comes along.
So you've got a movie that treats political activism as serving the same function for neurotics that cocaine does, you've got a movie where the most likable character, indeed the most successful character in all aspects of life, is a stupid man who luckily doesn't really understand any of that silly cultural stuff. I believe Forrest Gump is an extremely reactionary movie that promotes the value of stupidity for the masses. I think it's one of the most dangerous popular films I've ever seen. I hate it.
Article comments
1 - Chris Kent
Steven,
I'm not quite sure how you came to this conclusion for Forrest Gump - though I will be the first to admit it is an easy film to attack because of its syrupy mentality and several melodramatic, though touching scenes. It is my opinion you have only scratched the surface of what this film is truly about.
Gump symbolizes America - a country made up of simple, uncultured people, ostracized in its youth, but once forced into action having the ability to run like the wind. The changes taking place in the 60s, 70s and 80s were changes our country went through which eventually defined our culture - it was our country growing up and becoming a civilization. That Forrest Gump took place in the south is relevant - for that is where the US truly grew up during a very turbulant period.
The beauty of Forrest Gump, and it has taken multiple viewings and several years to realize this, is that it is a film which can be defined on multiple levels. That is the beauty of great films, great art and great books. They have multiple meanings, striking different people in different ways - though it saddens me such a fairy tale (as Forrest Gump most certainly is) would strike you in such a negative manner. How we feel about Forrest Gump and other works left open to interpretation, is how we feel about our present lives.
This film, in no way promotes ignorance as a form of spiritual bliss. Nor does it frown upon protests, the Vietnam War or drug use. It is a life-affirming film with far more depth than you are giving it credit for......This is not one of the great films in history, but like The Wizard of Oz, will withstand the test of time....
2 - Steven Rubio
"The changes taking place in the 60s, 70s and 80s were changes our country went through which eventually defined our culture - it was our country growing up and becoming a civilization."
But Forrest doesn't participate in any of that, except accidentally. Jenny is the one who embraces those changes, and she is miserable, suicidal, lost. Forrest, who doesn't really comprehend those changes, is successful.
Besides, our country became a "grown-up civilization" long before the 1960s.
"This film, in no way promotes ignorance as a form of spiritual bliss."
Then why is Forrest, with his 75 IQ, the spiritual center of the film? Why do all of the less-challenged characters suffer until they see the Gumpian light?
3 - Chris Kent
Steven,
I disagree. Forrest participates in all of it. He fights in the Vietnam War, he inadvertently participates in the protests, he witnesses assassinations, rallies, death, dying....he's involved, just not to the extent Jenny is. Sure, Jenny is miserable and lost, what person who "embraces" change and drugs would not be? Weren't we, as a country, lost at this time? Perhaps he's not involved on the same level as Jenny in some of the more radical paths, but there must be a contrast between the two for the film to work.
We may have been a civilization before the 1960s, but we were not civilized Steven.
Forrest Gump is not asking us to become ignorant. It's not saying - "Hey folks, stop reading and writing and become stupid like Forrest!" Forrest is a SYMBOLIC character, he represents America - a country with little or no culture for many years - immigrants, stepping off the boat, many of them once ostracized. Are we not, in many ways a county made up of simple people, with surprisingly extraordinary abilities? The ability to run (this is SYMBOLIC Steven), the ability to survive (this is SYMBOLIC as well)?
I believe Forrest Gump is an extremely reactionary movie that promotes the value of stupidity for the masses. I think it's one of the most dangerous popular films I've ever seen. I hate it.
I'm sorry Steven. Forrest Gump does not "promote the value of stupidity." We are a young, child-like country, much like Forrest. It's SYMBOLIC.
Forrest is a presence throughout the film (otherwise they would have named the film Jenny Gump), and people are indeed influenced by him in positive ways. Once again, this is also SYMBOLIC. The film is portraying Forrest as a Christ-like figure - another way to interpret this film.
Of course, to follow your argument, we would then need to say, "Hi I'm Steven. I hate Forrest Gump because it says Jesus Christ has a 75 IQ. Bad movie. BAD movie!!" No, Steven, the film is NOT saying that.
It is SYMBOLIC.......
4 - Chris Kent
My apologies. I was mocking you in the last few paragraphs, and that was uncalled for.
5 - Steven Rubio
"he inadvertently participates in the protests, he witnesses assassinations, rallies, death, dying"
Inadvertent participation and passive witnessing are not positive attributes. What kind of leaders would desire this from its citizens? One that didn't want to be bothered while they did whatever they wanted. There should be more to being an American than this kind of acquiescence.
"Sure, Jenny is miserable and lost, what person who 'embraces' change and drugs would not be?"
I'll skip the drugs part ... it's another discussion, one I suspect we disagree on to no purpose. But your comments are precisely why I have so much trouble with this film. It assumes, as you seem to, that a person who embraces change is understandably miserable. The philosophy of the movie favors inadvertent near-imbecility over a desire for change.
"Forrest Gump is not asking us to become ignorant.... Forrest is a SYMBOLIC character, he represents America"
The movie chooses to represent America with a stupid person. That person is the most admirable thing in the world of the film. Everyone else learns "how to be" from that person. Yet you don't think the movie promotes ignorance as a way of life?
6 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
This was a really good article. One of the most enjoyable ones ive read here in a while (my own notwithstanding), although thats not to say every article isnt great, just that i'm not always 100% interested. That's why the site is great. All sorts and all tastes are represented (mind you, i wish some would leave a comment every now and again for the poor old duke to read. sheesh? Whats a guy got to do? He watches Mondo Cane and Tesis and Aronofsky's Numbers Film and what does he get? He gets nothing, is what. Ah well.) Anyway.... I found this very interesting, as i said, and agree with basically everything written in the article. I also read with interest Chris' comments above. I don't agree with them neccesairly, i feel Gump is an incredibly reactionairy piece of work, but i do apreciate the impassioned manner with which you expressed your opinions. Who knows? Maybe it's all an alegory about martians?
7 - Dan
Steven, your interpretation is as good as mine, but I don't think the movie promotes ignorance as a way of life. I do agree, as you seem to be saying, that the film does question the value of intelligence. For me, I suspect that was kind of the point of it.
Being dull wasn't the main thing about Forest. He had so many admirable traits and talents as to make inconsequential the one thing everyone defined him by. Except the few, and eventually Jenny, who came to know him well.
As a contrast for his greatness they purposefully, I think, made the majority of characters look like silly lemmings, feeding their neurosises, on the causes du jour. You'd have to admit, I think, that no matter how noble the societal evolutionary changes, there are always lemmings being carried with the current. Not necessarily grasping any better than Forest the complexity or perspective of what is happening, yet feeling superior anyway.
8 - gumpfan
Wow! I just found this site and find this discussion extremely intersting. I thought I was the only one on earth still thinking about Forrest Gump.
I have a different take on what the characters represent, however. I always thought that both Forrest AND Jenny represented America. I still hold to my first gut instinct about the film; that is, Forrest represented American aspirations - to live a simple life, whereas Jenny represented the America we invariably became.
gumpfan
9 - Michelle
Steven, I have to say that I totally disagree with you. I mean yes, Forrest is simple man, but I don't think his character and the movie in general was making the statement that having intelligence is bad. I think his low intelligence was a way for the audience to focus on showing how one man, could do his absolute best, using all of his God-given talents, despite his imperfections. And despite Jenny's imperfections, she eventually gets herself clean and becomes a responsible, very caring parent and excellent provider. I think this was important to show in the film because in today's world where everybody tries to be so neurotically perfect, this is a good movie to watch.
And how can you be so hard on Jenny's character when you know that she was molested by her biological father? Jenny was a good person even though she went through a lot and made a lot of bad decisions. Again, an extreme was used -- in this case using characterization -- to again show how a person can prevail despite their imperfections. Despite what happened to her as a child, she still straightened out her life. She died at 36 and that part was sad, but she lived a full life that came to a complete circle. Same goes for Lieutenant Dan only he didn't die, he just stopped drinking and got married and realized that he could be a productive citizen. In Jenny's case, I can even make the argument that they killed her off at 36, (the same age that Jesus died) and by the directors doing this were implying that she raised from her life of sex and drugs and forgiven by God for her sins. I mean I know that theory is far-fetched but I admired her in a lot of ways because even though she went through a lot, she didn't hurt people any more than she hurt herself. The only time that she hurt Forrest - and I am not excusing this by any means - is when she left the next day after making love to him, but she did it because she thought she would be more harm than good by staying with him. She explains this later when near the end of movie, she apologizes to Forrest.
I know in these types of movies it is easy to judge, but just try to look at the overall message.
10 - Seamus
Steve you totally missed the message of the movie. It is a conservative movie puttinn a bad spin on being a democrat