Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump (1994)

  • 71% of critics liked it
    (55 reviews)

  • 93% of users liked it
    (1,119,247 ratings)

"Stupid is as stupid does," says Forrest Gump (played by Tom Hanks in an Oscar-winning performance) as he discusses his relative level of intelligence with a stranger while waiting for a bus. Despite his sub-normal IQ, Gump leads a truly charmed life, with a ringside seat for many of the most… More

Play Trailer

PG-13, 2 hr. 22 min.
Directed By
Robert Zemeckis
Written By
Eric Roth
Genres
Drama, Romance, Comedy
In Theaters
Jul 6, 1994 Wide
On DVD
Aug 28, 2001
Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • David Ansen, Newsweek

    For all its ambition, the movie ends up using great historical events in the service of a dubious sentimentality.

  • Todd McCarthy, Variety

    A picaresque story of a simpleton's charmed odyssey through 30 years of tumultuous American history, Forrest Gump is whimsy with a strong cultural spine.

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    Judging by the the movie's enduring popularity, the message that stupidity is redemption is clearly what a lot of Americans want to hear.

  • Stephen Holden, New York Times

    Forrest Gump has the elements of an emotionally gripping story. Yet it feels less like a romance than like a coffee-table book celebrating the magic of special effects.

  • Rita Kempley, Washington Post

    Skillfully adapted by screenwriter Eric Roth, the story belongs in the company of such sweet classics as Rain Man and Harvey.

Read all 21 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Martin S


    Possibly the most overrated movie of all times. No big deal. Hanks does what he does best. But I've seen him do much better things than this. It's a good movie and a good story and so on...but just very overrated. I liked though how they edited him into old video… More

  • Graham J


    Zemeckis is channeling Frank Capra's ghost on this one. Regardless who you are , this film will surely emit some kind of emotion from you.

  • Scott G


    So many different places are discovered through Forrest's eyes and has earned the respect of everyone who haas layed eyes on this wonderfully peaceful and simplistic being, it's concept is simple, but it's detail is deep.

  • Louis R


    Big Fish does it better.

  • Alexander D


    Tom Hanks gives a brilliant performance as the title character in Robert Zemeckis's Academy Award-winning comedy/drama FORREST GUMP, but I continue to hold my ground that Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler could have easily done better. This film is the tale of a man, suffering from… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

See full cast

Trailers & Clips