MOVIE ANALYSIS

OF
Forrest Gump

BY: Arnold Astrero

Grade 12 – St. Bridget

REQUIREMENT FOR:

Introduction to World Religion & Belief System

Discipline and Ideas in Applied Social Science

Literature
 INTRODUCTION

Tom Hanks is considered as one of the best actors in Hollywood. He was known
for his portrayals of different characters from different movies, including the iconic
movie, Forrest Gump, which is one of the greatest movies of all time, in my opinion.
Forrest Gump is a 2 hour and 22 minute movie that will blow your mind while crying
your heart out. There are a lot of happenings in the movie; from high school life to adult
life. And I will break it down every part of it and analyze it using different approaches in
order to fully understand the story.

1. READER-RESPONSE CRITICISM

I’ve heard about this movie before and I always wanted to watch it. When I got
the chance to watch it, I immediately hit the play button and prepared myself for actions
and dramas. I didn’t regret watching it because it was worth it. I didn’t get bored while
watching because of its beautiful storyline. I was so entertained that I started cheering
and laughing while watching the film. Also, I noticed that many parts of the movie were
based and inspired on true historical events, and there are a lot of cameos of real
people.

I learned a lot from the movie. If I could just recall every sayings/quotations from
the movie, I would do it. In summary, this movie taught me a lesson that I will never
forget; and gave me an incredible experience that I will always remember.

1.1 World Religion:

Forrest Gump was born with an IQ of 75. He’s not that smart, but he became a Football
player, Soldier, Ping-Pong player, Businessman, and a Runner just by following instructions and
believing in love and god. He spent his life fighting for peace and chasing the love of his life.

1.2 DIAS:

Forrest Gump’s mother was a wise woman who guided Forrest throughout his life. She
always gives advice to Forrest so that he could understand everything. His mother and his wife,
Jenny, serve as his counselors. Without them, Forrest would not be a better man.

2. PSYCHOLOGICAL CRITICISM

Robert Zemeckis was known for his mind-blowing special effects. You can see it
in his other films, including Forrest Gump. His works will surely amaze you; plus the
storyline that will absolutely make the movie even better. Considering these things, I
think Robert Zemeckis was inspired to fictionalized Forrest Gump’s life to showcase his
skills when it comes to special effects. In the movie, Gump’s life started from zero to
hero, and it was obviously fabricated to meet the standard of a Hollywood film.
3. SOCIOLOGICAL CRITICISM

Forrest Gump met a lot of people from different places and situations. The people around
him and the society he was in was a big factor in his life. Family, friends, and organizations
helped him realize things and shaped him as a person.

3.1 World Religion:

He applied to his life the sayings of his mother. He always find ways to insert the words of
his mother in a conversation by stating “Mama always said” and “Mama always told me.” He
has an IQ of 75, but that’s not a problem for him because he believed destiny will bring his feet
in a place where he belongs. Apart from this, when he was just starting as a business man, he
found it tough and exhausting. So he prayed to God, and god answered his prayers.

3.2 DIAS:

His mother tends to explain all things to him so that he could understand. She always says
to him that he’s not different from others, and he believed it. He took every advice from his
mother and his friend, Jenny. One example of this is when he was sent to Vietnam, and Jenny
told him to just run and don’t try to be brave. And so he did. He ran to save his life and his
comrades. As a result, he was awarded a medal of honor; the highest award in the military.