| I understand why some
people think of this film as too saccharine and too sentimental.
But I submit that some films earn the right to be so. Director
Robert Zemeckis wants to make his audience cry when Forrest asks Jenny
about their son, "Is he smart or...is... he...?" -- He wants to make us weep when he
stands at Jenny's grave and tells her that he misses her. My eyes
are watering just remembering those scenes.
This film earns the right to be so sentimental on two fronts.
First and foremost is the lead character... One cannot justifiably
criticize a film about a naive, innocent, kind & sweet man for taking
that angle. To treat such a character with a cold, detached and
realistic form of storytelling would be ludicrous. This
character demands to be in a fable.
The second reason I can entirely forgive the overtly emotional tones
is the skill of the film itself. "Forrest Gump" weaves an
intricate generational tale that layers flashbacks and subplots, main
characters and secondary ones, history and legend. The film
rhythmically blends its varied ingredients with a spectacular musical
soundtrack and bold editing that trusts its audience to keep up.
This film doesn't patronize its audience or its characters.
Everyone on the planet has seen the film... probably more than
once... so a plot recap is a total waste. I will merely say that
the film is sublimely crafted along one of the most profoundly
detailed character arcs of all time. At the end of the film, we
truly feel like we understand all the hidden depths and motivations of
Tom Hanks' Forrest.
I am so very close to giving this film an A+... I am not sure why I
can't quite do it. Perhaps it is the fact that it came out in
the same year as "Pulp Fiction" and "The Shawshank Redemption"... two
films that are firmly entrenched in my
All Time Top Ten list. Perhaps even I can only take so
much emotional manipulation from one film.
I happily concede that the film is manipulative, using that score
to full effect and perhaps exploiting the lead character's autism for
sympathy. But this film earns the right to do so with skillful
filmmaking and a good heart. |
