Forrest Gump followers say individuals who consider this don’t get the film

What’s the message behind Forrest Gump? The a lot beloved Tom Hanks film is stuffed with classes that we are able to be taught from and apply to our personal life, however crucial one, for my part, a minimum of, is that of compassion. Regardless of being rejected by society, Forrest remained compassionate to others and by no means turned his again on anybody: instructing us concerning the significance of remaining variety and empathetic in the direction of your self and others. It doesn’t matter what.

It’s classes like this which make Forrest Gump among the finest films of all time, however one of many largest debates that has rumbled on for the reason that ’90s film‘s launch is whether or not the character of Jenny is a protagonist or a film villain.

Within the film based mostly on a e-book, Jenny, who’s performed by Robin Wright, is Forrest’s childhood finest buddy. They join on a deep stage as youngsters as a result of they’re ostracized from society for various causes: Forrest due to his IQ, and Jenny as a result of she lives in poverty and is abused by her father. As she will get older, Jenny suffers extra hardships as she dips out and in of Forrest’s life — however the pair finally sleep collectively. Shortly earlier than dying of AIDs, Jenny reveals to Forrest that they’ve a baby collectively.

Regardless of Jenny’s tendency to run each time she will get too near Forrest, his love for her appears to by no means fade over time: however her response to his affection has lengthy sparked debate over whether or not she’s really the villain of Forrest Gump — with many arguing that she handled him poorly and took benefit of him.

However a well-liked submit on the r/films subreddit, which has 31.5 million followers, offered a distinct perspective — arguing that should you assume Jenny is the villain of Forrest Gump, you’ve missed the purpose of the drama film completely.

“Folks don’t understand Jenny was abused from a younger age, and that abuse clearly triggered trauma and PTSD in her grownup life. That is why she couldn’t settle with Forrest. She knew she was damaged, and she or he knew Forrest was pure and harmless. Jenny didn’t wish to inflict her points onto Forrest,” the Redditor argued.

In keeping with this Redditor, the explanation Jenny feels inclined to run from Forrest is as a result of she feels she isn’t ok for him — one thing which, the poster provides, is one thing that abuse victims usually do in actual life, too.

“They have a tendency to run away from relationships because of the trauma that has been inflicted on them,” the person added. “And in Jenny’s case, it’s much more comprehensible as abuse victims within the ’50s/’60s/’70s/’80s had been NOT taken critically. There have been no retailers or shelters that would’ve helped Jenny. Being a girl was horrible throughout that point, and sadly, Jenny needed to cope with her points on her personal. Forrest didn’t perceive the depth of Jenny’s points as a result of he had a ‘easy thoughts.’”

It’s clear to see why this submit bought upvoted so many occasions, because it actually will get into the guts of Jenny’s nuances as a personality and the way reductive it’s to power characters into ‘good’ or ‘evil’ bins. On the finish of the day, real-life persons are complicated and dwell in a spot of ethical greyness — and the way in which Forrest Gump captures this very actual reflection of humanity is what makes the film so rattling nice.

For extra on Tom Hanks and a few of his new films, right here’s our guides on the most effective Tom Hanks films, the right way to watch Elvis, the right way to watch A Man Known as Otto, and the Toy Story 5 launch date. Or, should you’re after extra uplifting tales, try our listicles detailing the finest feel-good films, finest household films, and finest rom-coms.