Forrest Gump
The history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis · Epic · Period Drama · Romantic Epic · 142 min · 1994
Trailer
Director
Robert Zemeckis
Writer
Winston Groom, Eric Roth
Studio
Paramount Pictures, The Steve Tisch Company, Wendy Finerman Productions
Release
October 7, 1994
Runtime
142 min
Genres
Epic, Period Drama, Romantic Epic, Tragic Romance, Drama, Romance
Country
United States
Budget
$55,000,000 (estimated)
Box office
$678,226,465 worldwide ($330,455,270 domestic; $24,450,602 opening weekend)
Awards
Won 6 Oscars; 51 wins & 74 nominations total.
Full Plot
Forrest Gump is a simple man with a low I.Q. but good intentions. He is running through childhood with his best and only friend Jenny. His 'mama' teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. Forrest joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends called Dan and Bubba, he wins medals, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, starts a ping-pong craze, creates the smiley, writes bumper stickers and songs, donates to people and meets the president several times. However, this is all irrelevant to Forrest who can only think of his childhood sweetheart Jenny Curran, who has messed up her life. Although in the end all he wants to prove is that anyone can love anyone.
Cast & Characters
Jenny Curran
Robin Wright
Lieutenant Dan Taylor
Gary Sinise
Mrs. Gump
Sally Field
Young Forrest
Michael Conner Humphreys
young Jenny Curran.
Hanna R. Hall
Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue: Bubba was originally supposed to be the senior partner in the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, but due to his death in Vietnam, their platoon leader, Dan Taylor, took his place. The company posthumously carried his name. Forrest later gave Bubba's mother (Marlena Smalls) Bubba's share of the business. Throughout filming, Williamson wore a lip attachment to create Bubba's protruding lip.
Mykelti Williamson
Forrest Gump Jr.: Osment was cast in the film after the casting director noticed him in a 1993 Pizza Hut commercial. It was his debut feature film role.
Haley Joel Osment
Elvis Presley: Although Kurt Russell was uncredited, he provided the voice for Elvis in the scene.
Peter Dobson
himself: Cavett played a de-aged version of himself in the 1970s, with makeup applied to make him appear younger. Consequently, Cavett is the only well-known figure in the film to play a cameo role rather than be represented through the use of archival footage like John Lennon, Alabama Governor George Wallace, and Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon.
Dick Cavett
Wesley: A member of the SDS group and Jenny's abusive boyfriend.
Geoffrey Blake
Dorothy Harris: The school bus driver who drives Forrest, and later his son, to school.
Siobhan Fallon Hogan
Did You Know?
Also known as "Cuộc Đời Forrest Gump" in Vietnamese-language markets.
Source: IMDb · verified 2026-08-02
Filmed in part at Chippewa Square in Savannah, Georgia, home to the famous bus-stop bench scenes.
Source: IMDb · verified 2026-08-02
When Forrest speaks at the Vietnam rally in Washington, the microphone is cut so the audience can't hear him; Tom Hanks later revealed the line he was saying.
Source: IMDb · verified 2026-08-02
"Lovesick Blues," written by Cliff Friend and Irving Mills and performed by Hank Williams, features on the soundtrack.
Source: IMDb · verified 2026-08-02
Ranked #12 on IMDb's Top Rated Movies chart.
Source: IMDb · verified 2026-08-02
Forrest Gump is based on a novel by Winston Groom.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Forrest Gump primarily focuses on the first eleven chapters of the novel before skipping ahead to its end.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Forrest Gump features Gump as an astronaut, professional wrestler, and chess player in addition to his other roles.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Forrest Gump was adapted from a bidding war involving Wendy Finerman and Steve Tisch.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
Forrest Gump holds 8.8/10 on IMDb (2.5M votes), 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a Metascore of 82 from 123 critic reviews — ranked #12 on IMDb's Top Rated Movies chart.
“Tom Hanks' rigorously earnest performance keeps Forrest Gump sincere even when it gets glib with American history, making for a whimsical odyssey of debatable wisdom but undeniable heart.” — Rotten Tomatoes (critics consensus)
A comparatively modest 75% RT score against an outstanding 8.8 IMDb average (2.5M votes, #12 all-time) is one of the largest critic/audience gaps of any awards-season Best Picture winner — some critics found its treatment of history glib even as audiences embraced it wholeheartedly.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedForrest Gump's #12 spot on IMDb's all-time Top Rated Movies chart (2.5M votes) against a comparatively restrained 75% RT score captures a real critical/audience divide — 6 Oscar wins including Best Picture didn't fully settle the debate over whether its sentimentality is earned or glib, a discussion that's persisted for three decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Forrest Gump's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Forrest Gump holds a 75% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Forrest Gump's IMDb rating?+
Forrest Gump has a 8.8/10 rating on IMDb from 2,493,306 votes.
What is Forrest Gump's Metacritic score?+
Forrest Gump has a Metascore of 82/100 on Metacritic.
Is Forrest Gump good? What are critics saying?+
Forrest Gump holds 8.8/10 on IMDb (2.5M votes), 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a Metascore of 82 from 123 critic reviews — ranked #12 on IMDb's Top Rated Movies chart.
How long is Forrest Gump?+
Forrest Gump has a runtime of 142 min.
Who directed Forrest Gump?+
Forrest Gump was directed by Robert Zemeckis.
Where can I watch Forrest Gump?+
Forrest Gump is available to stream, rent, or buy on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand, Plex, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Paramount Plus Basic with Ads, Rakuten TV, Sky Store, JioHotstar.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The movie "Forrest Gump" is widely praised for its nostalgic portrayal of American life in the 1950s and 1960s. Critics highlight Tom Hanks' performance as the titular character, who is both relatable and endearing. The film's themes of innocence, kindness, and perseverance have resonated with audiences.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Best movie ever.
llgolden · 10/10This is the best movie ever!
bluedevil667 · 10/10"Forrest" (Tom Hanks) isn't the sharpest tool in the box, but he has an heart of gold and an unparalleled sense of human decency. These laudable characteristics are the result of an upbringing by his mother (Sally Field) which has seen him grow from the bullied young boy from Ala…
CinemaSerf · 7/10
