Forrest Gump is not a
novelty anymore, as it had been during its time. The 1990s were pretty much new
to advanced film editing techniques and hence a film like Forrest Gump could
win over the audience. Such a movie is likely to go unnoticed today. It faced
its share of criticisms during its time, so I think I’ll loosen up a bit on
that front.
The movie is not compelling
enough to persuade me into watching it for a second time, but it is, despite
all its fallacies, a touching one.
Can’t really comprehend
what Zemeckis wanted to convey with a three decade long historical backdrop in
the film, but to me, he certainly succeeded in questioning the very foundations
of ‘heroism’ (albeit conjectural deficiencies) and also in putting forth the actual state of
affairs in the United States of America. Lieutenant Dan’s wheelchair with its label
says it all: ‘America- Our Kind of Place’. An excellent shot I would say. The
frame of the shot is directed in a manner that the intention of the director
comes clear to the audience. America is a cripples’ place (with all the
hopelessness we feel in the Vietnam War, Hippie Culture, and prevalence of AIDs)
and yet, it’s also a place where cripples learn to get recognition. They fit
in, in some or the other way. There are ample of toys, to play with, while they
wait for death to arrive.
The
only thing in the movie that made a difference for me; that affected me overwhelmingly
is the stupidity of Forrest Gump. Tom Hank’s definitely deserves the credit
that he has been given for his acting in this film. Yes, he appeared stupid to
me too. I wouldn’t run away from battle grounds. I have some principles. I have
some ambitions. He was stupid because all he learnt was to listen to his heart;
all he learnt was to love. His heart chose Jenny. Hence, she said ‘run’ and he
ran. He kept running. Less stupid people listen to their minds: turn sceptical
and calculated; look left and right before crossing roads; continue living
under the misguided notion of being Gods, only to die one day.
We all die one day. It
is an organism’s destiny, if there is one. However, those who live their lives
listening to their hearts often shape destinies for people who live listening
to their minds. For instance, Forrest Gump shaped it for Lieutenant Dan, it
seems.
Maybe being stupid is
not being naive; naivety is still cleverness yet-to-take-birth in the wake of
awareness through learning; but stupidity results from a mysterious incapability
of learning to act as required by a situation, despite awareness.
Forrest Gump was
stupid. By being stupid, he ran into all kinds of accidents; suffered from them
and lived through them and thus, made his destiny. Many of us, by the virtue of
not being stupid, bereft us from running into accidents and curb our chances of
seeing myriad facets of life. Do we make our destiny, after all?
In sensing that destiny
is perhaps a little of both: unintended accidents and deliberate action, Gump
shows us that he is no less intelligent than we lesser stupid ones. He is just
stupid. Maybe it is what required in this age, where all sense of right-wrong
dissolves in over-rationalization: a little bit of stupidity; a little bit of
listening to the heart.
It’s not the movie but
it’s the story and the way it was projected which shall be remembered, for ages
to come.
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