Forrest Gump, the “superb and witty” 1990s classic starring Tom Hanks, is leaving a UK streamer very soon. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film stars Hanks in the titular role as an innocent-natured man as he navigates some major events in US history.
Joining Hanks on the cast is Sally Field, who plays his loving mother Mrs Gump, and Robin Wright, who stars as Forrest’s childhood love interest Jenny.
First released in 1994, the logline of the film reads: “A gentle, friendly man navigates a series of extraordinary events, all while inspiring those around him with his perpetual optimism.”
Forrest Gump is set to leave Netflix on 4 January, meaning fans of the film with a subscription to the streaming service have just days left to watch.
In the decades since its release, Forrest Gump has proved popular among critics and currently has a score of 75% on Rotten Tomatoes from 157 reviews, with many praising Zemeckis’ film.
Paramount
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“Director Robert Zemeckis is no stranger to spectacular effects. But seldom do knockout technology, superb acting and witty writing meld so satisfactorily,” penned The Tampa Tribune.
The Guardian wrote: “Forrest Gump is Hollywood film-making at its most corn-fed, sucrose-enriched and calorific; you’ll need a sweet tooth for it.”
“Zemeckis has made a fast movie about a slow hero; he transforms Forrest’s daffy misconceptions into lyrical flights,” said New York Magazine, adding: “Forrest Gump has a softer, more delicate touch and a richer current of feeling than any of the other holy-innocent movies.”
Paramount
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The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote: “This isn’t the meaningful movie it pretends to be. But as a goofy entertainment that speeds through the latter half of the 20th century, stopping here and there to snap a photo or two, Forrest Gump does just fine.”
While the film has garnered a mostly positive response over the years, not all critics agree, with IndieWire writing: “It remains a bad movie that gets worse with age.”
Sight & Sound said of the film: “It’s too specific to be a proper allegory, and too vague to provide a satisfactorily millennial perspective on the last 50 years. Neither is it caustic enough to make one cry, nor soppy enough to make one laugh.”
Forrest Gump is available to watch on Netflix in the UK until 4 January.
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Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.