The beloved Tom Hanks flick, Forrest Gump, which narrates the tale of a sweet but simple-minded common man who unintentionally finds himself at the center of significant moments in American history, is commemorating its 30th anniversary this summer.
Robert Zemeckis’ directorial was one of the biggest hits of the 1990s, no doubt. It took home six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director. It makes sense that audiences find comfort in the story of the slow-witted man who never loses sight of his true love, Jenny (Robin Wright). Truly, what a work!… Well, not really.
Yes, beneath the catchy quotes and Hanks’ remarkable emulation of the character, Forrest Gump is actually a surprisingly heartless film that presents an optimistic exterior.
Not even Taylor Sheridan refrained from criticizing Forrest Gump. In one of his earlier interviews, the Yellowstone creator expressed his disdain for Paramount Pictures’ film, citing that Zemeckis’ film hasn’t aged well over the years.
Forrest Gump: The Yellowstone Creator’s Disdain for The Popular Tom Hanks Flick
Taylor Sheridan is one of the most influential artists in contemporary pop culture. His Yellowstone is without a doubt the most-watched neo-Western drama series. Its numerous spinoffs, such as 1883, 1923, and future ones, have all gotten great reviews and are watched by a large audience.
Along with being a skilled feature director, he has received recognition for his work on films such as Wind River, Hell or High Water, and Those Who Wish Me Dead.
He, therefore, has the right to have strong opinions about the films he watches, and there is one Tom Hanks film that gets under his skin. In one of his precious interviews with Joe Rogan, Sheridan talked in length about his dislike for Forrest Gump. He explained:
“For me, the holy grail as a storyteller is entertain, educate, and enlighten. Don’t give anybody answers, just lots of questions to think about – that’s my job. Cause I can’t stand to pay money and have somebody preach to me their ideas.”
Since Hanks’ Forrest Gump is the only one who can understand the world, he must be the reason he detested the flick, right? Well, Sheridan echoed the same, stating:
“That’s the reason I hated Forrest Gump… this doddering f**king idiot is the only guy who can figure out the world? Everybody else around him… he’s just gonna go on a f**king run across America and everyone’s gonna follow him and that’s gonna heal the country? I just was like, ‘What is this sh*t?’”
Well, one can’t ignore the fact that this film won six Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Tom Hanks. Rogan claimed that the concept was so “novel” when it was first released. Sheridan shot back, saying it is ironic that the portrayal of Forrest’s character would cause “someone to be too offended” if you made that movie today.
Addressing the Problematic Elements of Forrest Gump for Today’s Viewers
The Oscar-winning comedy-drama directed by Robert Zemeckis, which follows Tom Hanks as a learning-disabled young man who coincidentally witnesses some of the most significant historical events of the 20th century, raises a lot of questions among critics.
Its allegory of a “box of chocolates” works well. But the real reason this film merits examination is that, despite being released 30 years ago, and enjoying a successful run at the box office, it is still a bad film that gets worse with age and is far scarier than its cozy reputation suggests.
Firstly, as even Taylor Sheridan pointed out, its protagonist (Forrest Gump, looking awful with a bad haircut and incredibly beady eyes) is the worst. Not because he has some undefined mental disability, but rather because he is a few screws loose.
At a bus stop, Hank’s Forrest Gump would tell the story of his life to whoever had the misfortune of sitting next to him. He did this throughout the entire film. What? Yes, even his mother gave him strangely deceptive advice. At one point, she told him, “Vacation is when you go somewhere and don’t come back”. Again, what?
Another offensive detail in the movie is how Jenny, Forrest’s friend, is portrayed. Jenny Curran (Robin Wright) was abused by her father as a child and went on to be victimized by abusive men and eventually got Aids and died young. Jenny is “a classic mother-madonna-whore figure”, as GQ put it, who “ultimately brings Forrest redemption by shagging him, siring him a son who is clever and then, conveniently for fans of films that end, dying.”
THR conducted a poll in which hundreds of Academy members were asked to recast their votes on previous controversial decisions. If given another chance, Academy members stated they would have chosen The Shawshank Redemption to win the 1994 Best Picture Oscar instead.
And lastly, gah, the proverbs. The phrase “Stupid is as stupid does” is really senseless. “That’s all I have to say about that” is kind of rich coming from a guy nobody asked in the first place. However, the most famed quote, which talks about life, is particularly trite… Remember that “sweet as a box of chocolates” line?
While this technique was innovative at the time, it now feels gimmicky and takes away from the gravity of these events.
Forrest Gump is streaming on FuboTV & Paramount Plus.
