Forget the box of chocolates. Forget the various ways to prepare shrimp. Forget the 13 Oscar nominations, and the 6 actual awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Tom Hanks, his second-consecutive statue. In the end, “”Forrest Gump”” is all about shoes. From the braces that adorn young Forrest’s legs at the beginning of the picture to the sneakers that carry him across the country and back, “”Gump”” can be summarized by the amazing shoes this simple man wore at the stages of his miraculous life.
That idea might diminish director Robert Zemeckis’ grand scope, but considering how simple the character at the center of the film is, the concept seems to work. And that character is Forrest Gump (Hanks), a Southern gentleman – emphasis on gentle – whose charmed life just happens to carry him through a number of our country’s most memorable historic events. From college football stardom to Vietnam, from Communist China to Watergate, Forrest was there for it all, though he certainly never recognized the significance of each moment. After all, he’ll be the first to tell you that he’s not a “”smart man.”” That’s never in question. What he lacks in intellect, though, Forrest makes up for in loyalty. He’s loyal to the love of his life, Jenny (Robin Wright Penn), Forrest’s childhood sweetheart who follows her own destructive road through the ’60s. He’ s loyal to Lt. Dan (Gary Sinise), Forrest’s Vietnam commander who’s crippled in the war but ultimately saved by a persistent Private Gump. And he’s loyal to his best friend, Bubba (Mykelti Williamson), who just wanted to work a shrimp boat on the mighty Mississippi. Unbeknownst to this simple man, Forrest touches all of their lives, and manages to change the course of history along the way.And then he starts running, and “”Forrest,”” the movie, loses its grip. My one beef with “”Gump”” is Forrest’s marathon across the country and back. Up till that point, Forrest’s escapades, while improbable, were still remotely possible. The running is not. It’s so hoky. Forrest hatches the catch phrase, “”Shit Happens.”” He wipes mud off of his face and accidentally launches the “”Have a Nice Day”” happy face craze. It’s far too silly in a film that, previously, is rooted in themes of familial love, friendship, dedication and fate. Plus it only contributes to the film’s length, which tips the scales at 141 minutes as it is. Zemeckis’ greatest challenge, besides proper editing, remains satisfying his technical curiosities in a film that doesn’t lend itself to an army of special effects. But leave it to the whiz director to plug extraordinary cutting edge effects into the film, highlighting Forrest’s adventures and making them all the more realistic. Thanks to Zemeckis and his team’s brilliant bluescreen work, Forrest is able to shake hands with JFK, speak at the Lincoln Memorial and interact with a free-floating feather. Sinise’s able to play the crippled Lt. Dan, a wheelchair-bound, leg-less Vet. Some are subtle, but all are seamless. They’re worth the price of admission. Final Grade: BTHE EXTRASPeople have always listed “”Forrest Gump”” as one of their 10 most sought after discs – right behind Zemeckis’ “”Back to the Future”” trilogy (Hello? Universal?). Not only can they now take the title off their list, they can be extremely happy with the finished product.Paramount’s “”Gump”” is a giant step in the right direction from a studio still experimenting with the DVD format. To be fair, this is the biggest title from the studio’s archives to be released in the digital format. Realizing that, they spare no expense.The “”Gump”” DVD spans 2-discs, and features over 120 minutes worth of extras. Almost as long as the film! Disc 1 simply contains the movie in beautiful widescreen format. The transfer is clean, and the sound is clear. Two commentaries accompany the film: One from Zemeckis and his team, and one from producer Wendy Finerman. Choose Zemeckis’ and save yourself some time.Over on Disc 2, Paramount has packed on enough extras to sink a shrimp boat. Several featurettes, technical and otherwise, highlight this informative collection. One addresses sound design, another production work. They’re all interesting, shedding new light on Zemeckis’ sick attention to detail. It’s so worth it, though. On the lighter side, the DVD offers screen tests for both Penn and, that’s right, Haley Joel Osment, who plays Forrest’s love child at the end of the film.Eleven effects shots are dissected in a doc entitled “”Seeing is Believing,”” which also features two never-before-seen sequences. Finally, a decent “”Making Of”” featurette, a photo gallery and the film’s trailers round out the disc.Final Grade: A OVERALL EXPERIENCEIn hindsight, “”Gump”” raises several debates. Hanks undoubtedly earned his first Oscar with a gut-wrenching performance in “”Philadelphia,”” but was his role in “”Gump”” truly Oscar-worthy? And given the competition in 1995 – “”Pulp Fiction,”” “”The Shawshank Redemption”” and “”Quiz Show”” – was “”Gump”” really the year’s best picture. I’d say no, but thanks to Paramount’s spectacular new “”Gump”” DVD, the arguments can carry on for ages. Now we just have to work on getting those other three movies released…Final Grade: A