Summary
GivenForrest Gump’sreputation and legacy,its Rotten Tomatoes score is surprising to say the least. Earning $678.2 million at the box office,the Tom Hanks movie follows the story of an unintelligent man from Alabama as he navigates major events of the 20th century, withForrest Gump meeting real-life historical figures, while trying to pursue a relationship with his childhood friend, Jenny (Robin Wright).Forrest Gumpis arguablyTom Hanks’ best movieand led to him becoming the Hollywood A-lister he is known as today.
However, despite winning multiple awards and rising to international fame,Forrest Gumponly has a 76% Tomatometer scoreon the popular movie review site,Rotten Tomatoes. It is obviously shocking that an American classic has such a low score asForrest Gumpis one of the most quotable moviesof all time and the movie has had such a long-lasting impression on popular culture, with it often being referenced in numerous different shows and films. With some people looking back on this 30-year-old film less fondly than expected, the low Rotten Tomatoes score may be explained inForrest Gump’srecent reviews.
Forrest Gump Timeline Explained (In Full)
The timeline in Forrest Gump spanned several decades and included fictional and historical moments alike—and that’s precisely what made it work.
Why Forrest Gump’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is 76%
How Rotten Tomatoes Works
Forrest Gump’s76% Rotten Tomatoes score can be explained by the way Rotten Tomatoes works.The review-aggregation website was first set up in 1998 to distinguish whether movies and TV shows were “rotten” or not. Rotten Tomatoes has two types of scores, an audience score, which is based on everyday people’s reviews, and the Tomatometer score, which is based on reviews of established film critics.Google has recently changed which Rotten Tomatoes score is displayedin search results, possibly due to complaints that critics don’t represent everyday audiences. Rotten Tomatoes explains how scores and rankings are created via its website:
When at least 60% of reviews for a movie or TV show are positive, a red tomato is displayed to indicate its Fresh status.
When less than 60% of reviews for a movie or TV show are positive, a green splat is displayed to indicate its Rotten status.
AlthoughForrest Gumphas a Fresh status on Rotten Tomatoes, it is only 16% away from being Rotten. However, using theWayback Machine’sarchives,Forrest Gumpactually had an 81% Tomatometer score in 2004, a decade after its release. Recent critical reviews on Rotten Tomatoes have contributed to the downfall of the Tomatometer score, with some ratingForrest Gumpas Rotten due to its Oscar-baiting and simple sentimentality being the only reasons for its success. Therefore, it appears that despite being a classic movie,Forrest Gumphas somewhat aged upon rewatchdue to cultural changes and attitudes over time.
What Critics Thought About Forrest Gump When It Released
Reviews Were Mixed In 1994
WhenForrest Gumpwas first released, it made $24 million in its domestic opening weekend, barely half of its $55 million budget. However, it eventually earned $678 million worldwide after rising to critical acclaim. In 1994,The Guardian’sDerek Malcolm wrote thatForrest Gump“is certainly the most ambitious project Robert Zemeckis - second only to Spielberg as a consistent money-spinner - has essayed.” This was becauseForrest Gumpfeatured special effects which were not that common at the time of its release, incorporating archive footage of events alongside CGI to edit Tom Hanks into clips starring prominent historical figures.
Actor Gary Sinise toldLA Timesin an interview that the special effects were so convincing that he overheard someone ask who the legless actor was, while he was attending a screening.
Another example of CGI usage was Lieutenant Dan Taylor’s missing legs. Actor Gary Sinise toldLA Timesin an interview that the special effects were so convincing that he overheard someone ask who the legless actor was, while he was attending a screening. However,Empirewriter, Angie Errigo, said thatForrest Gumpmisses its mark “because director Robert Zemeckis' agility with ingenious special effects occasionally outpaces his narrative judgement.”Some critics praised Tom Hank’s acting and the use of special effects but claimed that the movie was rather shallow in terms of story, as it was an obvious Oscar bait.
“Oscar bait” refers to movies specifically produced for the sole purpose of winning Academy Awards (Oscars), often released late in the year so they are fresh in voters’ minds.
How Forrest Gump’s Popularity Changed Over The Years (& After Winning Oscars)
Tom Hanks Was Skeptical About Its Success
Over the years,Forrest Gump’spopularity has fluctuated. Despite having an 81% Tomatometer score 10 years after its release, in 2024, the movie sits at 76%. Evidently,Forrest Gumphas somewhat fallen out of favor, possibly due to the issue of a non-disabled actor playing someone with an intellectual disability, alongside other issues such as Jenny and Forrest’s relationship being unhealthy. However, the movie has held up as one of the biggest pop culture references of all time, sitting at number 11 on IMDb’s Top 250 Movies. Therefore, it is a surprise thatTom Hanks was originally skeptical aboutForrest Gump:
I say, ‘Hey Bob, I’ve got a question for you. Is anybody going to care about this movie? This guy sitting on a thing in these goofy shoes and this cuckoo suit with a suitcase full of Curious George books and stuff like that. Are we doing anything here that is going to make any sense to anybody?’
Forrest Gumpwas also involved in further controversy as it snubbed Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic film,Pulp Fiction, at its Oscars win.Fans believed thatPulp Fictiondeserved the Oscar much more than the Tom Hanks classic due to Tarantino’s inventive storytelling, something thatForrest Gumplacks. However, Hanks has defendedForrest Gump’sOscar win multiple times, stating that it has an “undeniable heartbreaking humanity.” With such a complicated success story and rating, it is no wonder thatForrest Gump 2never happened.
Forrest Gump
Cast
Forrest Gump is a drama film released in 1994, starring Tom Hanks as the titular character. The film explores the life of a man with a low IQ who inadvertently shapes several historical events, while his personal journey remains centered on his unrequited love for childhood friend Jenny.
