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Forrest Gump (1994)

Director: Robert Zemeckis

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From Time Out Film Guide

Played by Hanks with a sing-song Southern drawl and an evangelical earnestness, Gump is the quintessential simpleton, his only characteristic the inert righteousness instilled in him by his mama (Field). Gump's story is as extraordinary as he is banal. He conducts us on what amounts to a virtual-reality tour of late twentieth century American history. Beneath its baby-boomer soundtrack, its restive feel-good aesthetic and conventional liberal veneer, this is a dismayingly reactionary work. Consider Forrest's one true love, Jenny (Wright), a 'nice' girl who takes a wrong turn when she abandons home for showbusiness. Throughout director Zemeckis contrasts Gump's charmed progress with Jenny's unhappy engagement with the counter culture. It's only when she's dying that Jenny realises she should have stayed with Forrest all along. He's asexual, square and a tedious conversationalist, but God knows he loves his mother - as this mawkish conservative movie ultimately goes to prove: ignorance is bliss. Winner of a raft of Oscars.

Author: TCh 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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Cast & crew

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Producer: Wendy Finerman, Steve Tisch, Steve Starkey

Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field, Michael Conner Humphreys full cast

Duration: 142 mins

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