Robert Zemeckis’ Forrest Gump won six Academy Awards, but 30 years later this is starting to look like a mistake. Based on Winston Groom’s novel of the same name, Forrest Gump follows the titular character throughout a remarkable life that touches on some of the biggest events in American history throughout the 20th century, including the Vietnam War, the Watergate Scandal and the AIDS crisis. It’s often cited as one of Tom Hanks’ best movies, and his portrayal of the low-IQ hero earned him the Oscar for Best Actor, beating the likes of Paul Newman and Morgan Freeman.
Forrest Gump mixes real history with pure fiction, creating a warped vision of American history that resembles fantasy more often than fact. This ethos has been at the heart of some of Forrest Gump‘s most positive reviews, as well as its most passionate detractors. Zemeckis’ film gestures at the broad strokes of a tumultuous time in American history, but its conclusions often seem a little muddy. Less charitable readings of Forrest Gump have suggested that it’s little more than propaganda designed to dampen the impacts of real-world events, with a politically naive ideology that Forrest’s blind faith is the only way forward.
Forrest Gump Shouldn’t Have Won Best Picture Over Pulp Fiction & The Shawshank Redemption
Forrest Gump’s Reputation Has Declined A Little Since 1994
In the decades since Forrest Gump‘s big night at the Oscars, it has continued to enjoy a certain level of critical success. However, more and more voices of dissent have started to creep in, and audiences are now just as likely to see negative reviews on sites like Rotten Tomatoes and Letterboxd than positive ones. Aside from its controversial political ideas, Forrest Gump has all been attacked for its saccharine sweetness. To a more cynically-minded generation, Forrest Gump represents the kind of Oscar-bait filmmaking that uses learning disabilities to tug at the heartstrings.
1994 created a competitive field at the Oscars. Back when only five films were nominated for Best Picture, there were at least three top-class contenders, and it now seems as though The Shawshank Redemption or Pulp Fiction would have been wiser choices. The Shawshank Redemption has stood the test of time as one of the best Stephen King adaptations, even though it eschews horror in favor of an emotionally devastating exploration of crime, justice and institutionalization. It often pops up on lists of the best movies ever made.
Pulp Fiction would have been another worthy winner. Quentin Tarantino’s sophomore outing after Reservoir Dogs ultimately changed the crime genre forever, and its influence can be seen throughout a variety of films in the following decades. With a complex, tangled case and a fantastic ensemble cast packed with eccentric characters, Pulp Fiction balances the darkest kind of humor with explosive drama. In retrospect, Forrest Gump comes with too much baggage to suggest that it should have been a clear winner over either of these two masterpieces.
Robert Zemeckis Shouldn’t Have Won Best Director Over Quentin Tarantino
Tarantino Still Hasn’t Won Best Director
Even if Pulp Fiction wasn’t destined to win Best Picture, it should have at least scored Tarantino the award for Best Director. Pulp Fiction‘s sizzling dialogue and unorthodox structure were enough to win Tarantino Best Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen), but his direction is just as impressive. Although it was just Tarantino’s second movie, Pulp Fiction announces the arrival of a director completely unafraid to tear up the rule book and create something strikingly original. Of course, the film showcases Tarantino’s deep love of cinema, but he refuses to reduce himself to mere homage.
It will be interesting to see how the reputations of these movies continue to evolve in the next few years.
Pulp Fiction is packed with startling imagery that has since become iconic, like Vincent peering into the glowing briefcase or his beguiling dance with Mia. These are the products of a director with a unique eye for cinematic style operating at the top of his game. Pulp Fiction wouldn’t work nearly as well if it didn’t have its inimitable sense of swagger. While Zemeckis provides a steady hand in Forrest Gump, he doesn’t push the boundaries quite like Tarantino does in Pulp Fiction. It will be interesting to see how the reputations of these movies continue to evolve in the next few years.
7/10
Release Date
July 6, 1994
Runtime
142 minutes
Director
Robert Zemeckis
Writers
Winston Groom, Eric Roth
