Siskel & Ebert Forrest Gump (1994) Review

Siskel and Ebert equally enjoy the 1994 oscar winning film "Forrest Gump"

[@kkvegas]

I saw this movie in a theater and when Jenny says, "You don't want to marry me, Forrest," a young child in the audience cried out passionately, "Yes he does, Jenny!"

[@AlexanderStemkowski]

OH ! ;-D

[@brianc3761]

It was Forrest o___o

[@ricomajestic]

Haha! Did everyone laugh?

[@kkvegas]

@@ricomajestic Yes! It was funny and sweet at the same time.

[@mediaikonz]

That child exhibited the intelligence level you need to enjoy this film.

[@Yono84]

1994 had too many classics.

[@americangiant1003]

Agreed. No doubt. Among the best years ever in movie history.

[@bw0716]

notorious BIG ready to die 1994

[@bigwillietheb]

hmm 1994 I was 20 years old & yes it did have some great movies , Forrest Gump, The Shawshank Redemption, The Lion King, Pulp Fiction, The Flintstones, just to name a few

[@christiansoldier77]

Yono84 Not just 1994 the whole decade of the 90s was a great decade for movies

[@andrewwilliams2105]

You forgot Dumb and Dumber and The Santa Clause

[@sngrytr1]

My favorite line(s) in the movie: Jenny: "I wish I could have been with you" Forrest: "You were"

[@Hectorferjr2]

Coming from a person with a disability, what I love about this movie is that Forrest taught the people around him that a person who has a disability is a person first. They may have a disability but they are more than their disability. What is important in a person is the good things they do for others with their good hearts and their positive look on their life.

[@simonmarshall19]

I miss both Siskel & Ebert. R.I.P. U2

[@AndyJarrin]

The band U2 is still alive and well I don't know what you're talking about?

[@simonmarshall19]

I meant to say I miss these two. You Two were the best. My Bad. U2 is still rocking

[@suzycreamcheesez4371]

lol! kind of went over your head didn't it Scottie?

[@antitroll890]

anybody else on a Siskel and Ebert marathon to celebrate what they gave to us as critics?

[@MrUnsolvedMystery]

Yeah miss these guys. No one else compares to them these days.

[@LucidDreamer54321]

No

[@Dennzyl]

"i am not a smart man, but i know what love is!" - thats such a powerful line man, such a powerful line!

[@Zuon94]

Life is like a box of chocolates - it comes with a nifty little paper telling you exactly what flavors are included... Wait, that's not right.

[@mikekoz68]

True enough, a lot of times there are directions in life but people are too stupid or lazy to read them

[@ainsleyclunies-ross1956]

Zuon94 i

[@robbiefarabee6954]

I don't pay attention to the paper. I just eat the chocolate.

[@harmie1743]

My favorite line from this movie is "im not a smart man, but i know what love is."

[@meangreen8873]

Equally great and sad "Why don't you love me Jenny".

[@salicemccool9268]

+SerialKillerX You stole my post!! ; )

[@harmie1743]

Salice McCool sorry

[@salicemccool9268]

+SerialKillerX No problem; we just think alike - and I winked!

[@harmie1743]

Salice McCool ok good then.

[@noaholson9047]

I still laugh my ass off at that scene where he’s in Watergate and he’s calling because he sees flashlights in the room across from

[@puralife2356]

I don't care how many people have said this, but this is one of the greatest films ever made.

[@LegoandmoviereviewsBlogspot]

True.

[@hotrodkimball]

It really isn't one of the greatest films ever made

[@victorkong82]

HotRodKimball yes it is.

[@Jessicaunarex]

No it's not.

[@junkienurseable]

agreed. fuck this saccharine trash

[@denariuswright8284]

Among the most beautiful and meaningful stories to ever be told through motion picture!

[@mmmtsp]

for several years, i never went to see a movie unless it got two thumbs up from these guys, they never lead me to a bad movie, thanks S&E.

[@MrUnsolvedMystery]

Ha ha I valued their opinion too. When they said a movie was awful I still rented it anyways out of curiosity. And 99.99% of the time they were right. Lol

[@LukeLovesRose]

1994 was one of the best years for movies. Forrest Gump, Pulp Fiction, Shawshank, etc, etc, etc.

[@lightingcobra]

1994 was a great year for movies. Pulp Fiction, Shawshank Redemption and this! Fantastic year for film!

[@jw870206]

I'm sure Roger knows the answer to his question, "How did they do that?" referring to the scene at the reflecting pool. Brilliant filmmaking. A grid was set up, and each grid square was filled with extras and shot one at a time, and then composited together into the final product. It's brilliant, and it was so very well done.

[@bryansarracino8623]

That scene where he cries at Jenny’s grave. Gets me every single time.

[@jus3278]

R.I.P. Siskel and Ebert. One of my favorites

[@hmj8469]

I remember hearing someone say that Forrest is what every single person secretly wishes they could be. Forrest accepts the world around him as it is, and he cares about everyone unconditionally.

[@TakatofanAgain]

I always thought the kid wasn't really Forrest's, but that Jenny knew that Forrest would take care of him.

[@bigrigJim]

+TakatofanAgain I never thought of it that way before. You could be right though.

[@cryogeneric]

Never considered that, either. Having Jenny's son be Forrest's is a bit of a "Hollywood" style ending. If her son had been from some other guy, that would be more "realistic". Forest would still probably take care of him as he's a legacy to Jenny even though he wasn't his own.

[@milascave2]

In the book, he had no kid.

[@JustinZarian]

Yeah and from the people I talked to who read the book and saw the movie, just about everyone prefers the movie.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

As I told my adopted daughter, "I may not be your father, but I'm your daddy." Though I think Jr. was Forrest's biological child, he was definitely his daddy.

[@MarkArandjus]

"Wha' don't you love me Jennay?" That line just breaks my heart.

[@crystalmatava2929]

Forrest Gump was the icing on the cake for one of the best years ever for movies hands down!

[@JGH1708]

I saw Forrest Gump a week before it officially came out in Melbourne Australia in a preview screening with a full audience. At the end the entire cinema applauded. I've never ever seen that happen before or since.

[@patrickmichaellangan576]

Forrest Gump is one of Tom Hanks and Gary Sinise's (together) best films; along with Apollo 13 a year after this.

[@marcelmiller7551]

Green Mile too

[@michaeljohn1462]

One of the best films of all time. All-time classic.

[@eddiecampion2410]

My favourite movie of all time along with shawshank redemption. Both from 1994.

[@HarrisonHollers]

Eddie Campion Pulp. Hoop Dreams. One of the best years for movies ever.

[@mikediloreto5965]

I think we can all agree that Jenny is the worst girlfriend in the history of the world

[@milascave2]

Well, she wasn't his girlfreind. She slept with him once, after he had stawked her for decades.

[@Provemewrongwithfacts]

Yeah, I wouldn't want a girlfriend who was raped by her father, either.

[@thebrowithnoname1703]

I don't know. My ex girlfriend was pretty bad too.

[@denariuswright8284]

she sure is

[@McCready12]

Pretty funny. And probably true.

[@abelmantor7557]

Ah , forest gump. Watched this movie over & over & never got tired of it.

[@colesandick446]

“It inspires us to be less hard on ourselves.” That line left me in tears

[@davidfrederick6003]

As amazing special effects, script, actors were it was one moment that stuck out that would make ANYONE CRY. When Jenny reveals she gave birth to his son and his immediate reactive question because he feels unsmart, did his son copy him.

[@CheefChaos]

Jenny might be one of the most tragic characters in American Movie history.

[@alananderson5949]

Good film, but Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption both smash it to pieces.

[@jasonsimms4238]

nah

[@alananderson5949]

@@jasonsimms4238 Forrest Gump is a good movie. A really good movie. It's just that Pulp Fiction and Shawshank Redemption are masterpieces!

[@apseudonym]

All three overrated af

[@davidjohnson8231]

​@@apseudonym gr8 b8 m8 I r8 8/8

[@iampoopman]

Someone pointed out to me that there is a massive flaw in this film: If Gump has done so much and been involved in so much pop culture, how the fuck does he not get recognized sitting on the bench at the bus stop?

[@preahko]

"Despite his low IQ, he enlists in the army..." Ummmmm...

[@markant9534]

+Frank Smith Yes you need an IQ of 85 or above but there are plenty of people who have an IQ of 75 that can fight in the army! I had four IQ tests with scores ranging from 78-92 so does that mean when I failed I couldn`t be in the army but when I got 92 I could?! Pathetic. Mike Tyson has an IQ of 78 but I`m pretty sure he could fight in a war, LOL!

[@J4sse]

I forgot, was he really enlisted or was he drafted?

[@apseudonym]

😂😂😂

[@apseudonym]

@@markant9534 Yes, also McNamara's Morons who fought in Vietnam. Low IQs, high death rate

[@spelcheak]

You're not so sharp yourself Frank.

[@jw870206]

To answer Ebert's quandary about how the speech scene was executed, The Mall was partitioned into a grid, and the filmmakers would film an entire grid square filled with people, and then in post production that grid square of people was replicated to create the illusion of hundreds of thousands of people in The Mall around The Reflecting Pool. Thank God for DVD Extras, lol.

[@MichaelBrookham]

They didn't say whether or not it was one of the best movies, but it is on my list of the top 10 best movies ever made.

[@shazanali692]

We have KZbin we need a new siskel and Ebert type guys who review movies each week.

[@Lastkingof33]

the girl you can never get but totally adore. who cant relate to that?

[@sleong]

One of the best movies I've ever seen

[@sitizenkanemusic]

this movie is a landmark in cinema history. It's beautiful.

[@steveleeart]

I love how they tried to get Tom Hanks to teach the child actor playing young Forrest how to talk like him and Hanks was like, it’ll be easier for me to talk with the kid’s voice.

[@natalieps2387]

This movie was a love letter to the baby boomers. Literally the start of everything geared toward the youth started when elvis Presley first wiggled his hips on tv. Basically if u were born in 1945 u experienced everything in a rapidly changing anerica. The generation b4 the boomers I believe was called the silent generation where kids were seen but not heard. From what I understand men did not talk about their feelings. They kept everything bottled up. Women were happy to just get married & have kids not expressing their feelings either. It's amazing how much things changed & all the manor eve is happened from the end off ww2 to those kids becoming hippy's going through the disco era & the wall street greed mentality. After that was the start of technology the internet being used by the masses & cell phones & social media. Once everyone caught into the internet technology has moved at such an accelerated state. The soundtrack to this film is amazing. My uncle bought me the two discs of the soundtrack & i got so into 60s& 70s music. I first heard lanyards free bird in the scene jenny thinks about ending it all. She just shot up w/ some stranger & seems to have had enough of the partying the drugs & living such a seedy lifestyle bc of the child abuse she suffered as a child when her mom died & she & her sust sisters were at the mercy of their abusive drunken father. Seems jenny did all these things to herself being w/ total dirtbags bc she didnt feel after her father degraded her that she deserved better. Its devastating that a pedophile family member does not care about the irreversible damage they did to that child for life. A very sad scene ia when Jenny returns to the now empty home she was a abused d in & at first looks like she has seen a ghost. In a blind rage starts throwing rocks at the house so angry she is just heard " how could u do this ere things " just so sad.

[@65g4]

Originally i wasnt the biggest fan of this film but over the years and since losing my father in 2015, ive grown to love it a lot more and do think its a classic 1994 was such a great year for movies

[@creeper2054]

This is my all time favorite movie. Brilliant.

[@twstf8905]

This is the first real heartbreaking movie I ever saw when I was young. I still get a little misty when watch it nowadays. 👍

[@flipperhansen5600]

Robin Wright is my celebrity crush. Not back when she was in the princess bride or Forrest Gump, but now. She’s just gotten hotter with time.

[@freaky66]

Forrest Gump is one of those films that teaches us to live life to the fullest no what.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

Before I saw it in '97 (finally) I was always told that the only people who liked it were white Republicans 40 or older. Maybe that's why it still gets so much hate.

[@MegaMoose1989]

I am a left winger and love this movie.

[@GutterMonkeyVideo]

It's so rare to see a hugely entertaining, hugely successful, hugely creative movie that is also so revered by film-buffs, critics, snobs, and people of all ages. Robert Zemeckis has done it with Forrest Gump, Back to the Future, Castaway, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Contact (less popular, admittedly, but I love it too much not to mention it). It's a shame that he isn't as much of a household name as Spielberg (who's also great at bringing critics and audiences together).

[@THECARDGUY211]

pulp fiction, the shawshank redemption, quiz show, ed wood, speed, the lion king, leon: the professional, the crow the list go's on.

[@1seansouth]

I cannot get through the school bus scene without tears. When Jenny says: "you can sit here if you want" I have to leave the room.

[@kfsfkakf]

I think Forrest Gump is one of the most quotable movies of all time

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

So many people cannot handle it that this flick beat Pulp. But if you stop being your hollier-than-though-self or cynical cinephile and open your heart, with Gump, you'll have the greatest feel good ride that any movies can achieve. And when I mean feel-good ride, I don't mean it like a big action movie but an odyssey of emotion through Americana.

[@TooCooFoYou]

+Johnny Skinwalker I really like Forrest Gump and find that it deserves it's praise. But I will say that Pulp Fiction should've won the Oscar. That movie was such an amazing experience.

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

***** I find both movies were amazing experiences to watch in a different way. Forrest Gump was this big epic and it was enthraling while Pulp was a "holly shit I can't believe that this happened!".feel.

[@TooCooFoYou]

Johnny Skinwalker While I believe that Pulp should've won the Oscar, I also think Gump won it fairly too.

[@manofmywords240]

+cesarmanuel51 shawshank should of won

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

Don Cajote hell no

[@christhornycroft3686]

“Sometimes there just aren’t enough rocks.” The line that seems to fly over a lot of people’s heads, especially people who want to bash Jenny. Forrest Gump understood something about her that many viewers didn’t. They both had to go on their own journey, some of it apart. It wasn’t about Jenny hurting Forrest. She had things she had to deal with to be with him.

[@Brillemeister]

I've never been crazy about this movie, but Gene's take was very persuasive in regards to why so many people love it. The U.S. still holding onto a lot of baggage from various social upheavals and wars, and trying to process them, would explain all of the movies we get about them.

[@TheWhizzkid23]

'94 had a lot of amazing movies back then... Pulp Fiction, Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump... I mean the list goes on

[@ladystoneheart8155]

No it doesn’t (checks notes) ...holy shit, it really does...

[@userste]

Gump has to be in the top ten of greatest movies of all time. Maybe top 5.

[@wb6162]

I miss these guys and I miss the early 90's. A better time.

[@markinwa5884]

I've watched this movie at least 20 times. Nothing is like the first time seeing it, but it still just pulls you in, even when you've essentially memorized the script.

[@The-Fluffy-Birdcat]

I swear, it's like the trolls and haters commenting on here came off an assembly line or something.

[@jjzgamer5507]

+gotigers98675 I know right!

[@mikeshearman8370]

There are those who shop at Walmart and those who troll on KZbin.

[@fromthehaven94]

gotigers98675 From the moment this movie's name was read aloud at the Oscars in 1995.

[@clarkbailey1973]

What happened to Jenny as a child has nothing to do with anything other than evil. My point is the lifestyle she lead, and in her case it is undoubtedly due to her abuse as a child, should have no consequences based on some of my left leaning friends who feel that her getting AIDS is portrayed as symbolic of punishment for her lifestyle.

[@zubairrazzaq6271]

One of the Great movie Hollywood history 👌wonderful story line amazing actors Tom Hanks others 👍👍👍👍

[@blindthrall]

So they're saying the IQ of collective America is 75? Can't really argue with that, I guess. Lt. Dan is definitely Gary Sinise's best role.

[@MichaelBrookham]

I really enjoyed Forrest Gump. It was one of the better movies I saw.

[@Pauliewallnutts]

Siskel and Ebert rest in peace

[@bigbowlowrong4694]

“GUUUUUUMP! WHAT IS YOUR SOLE PURPOSE IN THIS ARMY?!” “To do whatever you tell me, Drill Sergeant?” “GODDAMMIT, GUMP! YOU’RE A GODDAMNED GENIUS. THAT IS THE MOST OUTSTANDING ANSWER I’VE EVER HEARD.” That scene always makes me laugh like an idiot lol

[@SquidGunman]

That comment was rude, crude, and completely uncalled for! I loved it!

[@stephenmccollum1391]

I miss these 2.

[@shack8110]

Pretty rare when a film brings a tear to my eye. This film did when Forest talked about his son at Jenny's grave.

[@YouthEnergy]

Siskel and Ebert's reviews are like a box of chocolates... You never know whatcha gonna get.

[@Tom_TheDutchguy]

i hope that they will put all the episodes out on dvd and blu-ray some day Siskel & Ebert were and always shall be the greatest movie critics off all time

[@roo7227]

Ebert nails it, here.. One of the main themes of the movie is choices, and the way different choices affect different people.. Jenny is an example of poor choices, and her life is affected as such..

[@matmcd]

She was a product of her child abuse, unfortunately...

[@clarkbailey1973]

Oh, I agree. The day we had a class throw down argument over Nietzsche was a day I'll always remember. Too many of the left probably resent the showing of the consequences of Jenny's actions. Forrest definitely represents a more "conservative" American archetype.

[@Tod661]

Great movies.I still have a hard time that Gary Sinese did not win the Oscar he deserved for this

[@Excremental_Discharge]

"Life is like a box of chocolates, Forrest......my chocolate has cancer and Jenny has AIDS"

[@robertsimpson5136]

End the end...........Shawshank just kicks this movie clear to Sunday.

[@jmjanousek]

For one of the greatest movies ever made, this was the bottom of the barrel movie review.

[@bink]

You can take this movie two ways, really: as profound, serious drama or as ironic satire. Quentin Tarantino was once asked how he felt about losing out to Forrest Gump at the Oscars when it was such a non-ironic, overly maudlin film and he replied, "hey, I thought it was very ironic!" Perception, i guess...

[@scottdavidson7001]

This movie is an all time MASTERPIECE!!!

[@ninjastar666lol]

Just watched this on tv , still my favourite

[@kevinbergin2225]

Well, if Siskel & Ebert are not concerned about what killed Jennie why should we.

[@mywhychromosome]

Gotta say, Ebert is the one whose archived reviews I pore over, whose writing I admire...but damn, did he always talk over Siskel so much?? Feels like we barely got to get his opinions on the flick. Or was it more of an 'alternating' situation??

[@LoN3wOlF5tudi0s]

What's with all the comments? Do you guys really hate Forrest Gump that much? It was definitely the best movie of the year. I don't understand all the hate it's getting.

[@newwavepop]

in my mind i always call the film "The Redemption of Lt Dan". even though we follow Forrest, i have always thought the story was really about Dan and Jenny as well. Forrest was just existing, just moving right along through life. Dan and Jenny were very lost people that were stumbling through life searching for something, trying to fill some hole they had inside themselves. and Dan is the one that really found meaning and happiness. Jenny cleaned herself up and found some meaning to in raising her son, but it was already too late for her.

[@ddandrea]

They both gave their lives to Jesus. That's how they were able to change.

[@orbison]

On the siskel and ebert website, there is a full video of a 1994 special that Siskel and Ebert did called Why Gump, Why Now where there try to explain how Forrest Gump became the big hit it did, and this was before it walked away with the Oscar, check it out.

[@kylethompson4829]

One of the best movies ever made

[@marleyjanim5033]

this movie made history

[@lightingcobra]

Wait, the scenes with Nixon and Kennedy were used with special effects? All this time I thought those were actors not the presidents! Wow this special effects truly were amazing

[@captlanc]

I am 25 today and I just watched the movie in IMAX for its 20th anniversary re-issue. The 70s America history and the counterculture might not have any impact on me as it did the baby boomers back then, but it still is a magical, beautiful, profound movie. It's one of the most gentle, kindly movie that I've ever experienced.

[@farneyblakeley]

the moral of the story is to not think too hard and you'll come out alright because the American system is just so damn-well put together to benefit the common man or woman

[@GeronFletcher]

this movie is overrated yes but its still a very good movie. it really is. even though it does pander to baby boomers no doubt. im 24 but its a very enjoyable movie it doesnt get old. the whole dichotomy with him and jenny was just complex to me. i mean but at the same time it was very simple. its hard to explain. the movie is simple and TOO simple sometimes but other times its also complex

[@stephenmccollum1391]

I'm not a smart man. But I know what love is.

[@disasterzone1974]

I agree it was just ridiculous that they twisted historical events by having him there.Absolute nonsense.

[@scottwilliam3470]

still standing the test of time!

[@moveigotthismark6123]

This movie is one of the all time greats. It's my personal favorite, an inspirational piece that makes me laugh, cry and cheer. It's about a man who was born with physical and mental defects, yet because of hard work, a humble attitude and making the most of his opportunities, he succeeds more than most. It's also a story about America during that time of his life.

[@horrorfan4life989]

my all-time favorite movie

[@kamdenfox6410]

This is my favorite movie of all time!!!! Is The Shawshank Redemption better? I wouldn't know, I haven't seen Shawnshank.

[@hmj8469]

Both great dramas, but I think Forrest almost feels like a faerie tale.

[@frogambassador]

reviewers really had a lot more spoilers back then then they do now.

[@zaneps151]

this is one of the very few movies you can watch over and over and itll never get old