"I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is." Forrest Gump the man is a wonderful illustration of unconditional love. His love for Jenny, his family and friends was unshakable, no matter what they did - good or bad.

LT Dan (Gary Sinese) is a musician and his band, The LT Dan Band, has traveled the world performing for the U.S. military. And he continues to do that now. He also raises money to benefit disabled veterans. (At one show, Tom Hanks surprised him, running upon the stage made up as Forrest Gump! So touching!) Gary has received many awards and honors for his work, including an honorary commission as a Lieutenant (Dan) in the U.S. Army. He was the guest speaker at West Point, the Army military academy, for the graduation ceremony, (2016?) Amazing man, and he attributes his motivation to his involvement in his movie role in Forrest Gump.

Jenny encouraged Forrest to, "Run Forrest, run!" because that's how she learned to cope.

Such an amazing movie. Nearly 30 years later, it still makes me cry every time. Robert Zemekis is one of the GOAT directors.

The scene where Forrest takes a step back and asked, "Is he smart or is he..." and gestures toward himself rips my heart out every time. Every single time. Forrest is very aware of his limitations, and doesn't want anyone to have the bad experiences he had because of them.

The ultimate bittersweet movie. I'm originally from Pensacola, so that southern culture nostalgia added a lot to the experience.

Excellent reaction -- the closest I can come to a criticism is that it could have been longer. 😀 I can't tell you how happy it made me that you understood Jenny -- she wasn't bad, she was broken. I can't remember another reactor that has gotten it right. I also loved your commentary after the movie ended -- again you are the first who noticed (or at least mentioned) that the movie started and ended with the feather. It's the small details that count and you definitely got them. Well done.

"In Vietnam, we were always looking for this guy named Charlie, but we never could find him!"

"She flew away like a bird." Bingo. It is good to hear someone in a reaction get that metaphor. Great reaction to this movie. Crying is mandatory. I still do every time I watch it. ❤☮

20 minutes is just not long enough to react to this masterpiece.The editing was all over the place.

Yes the movie and Tom won Oscars !!Well deserved!!

Your emotional review was beautiful. Don't be to hard on yourself. Viewers appreciate authentic.

I like how the plot rolls out in the opposite arrangement of a theme paper. In a theme paper, you state you thesis and prove it in the body of the text. In this movie, the proofs of the theme are given from start to finish, then the theme is given when Forest is at Jenny's grave sight. The entire movie is summarized with Forest's rhetorical Q and A with Jenny. Forest wondered if Momma or Lt. Dan was correct: do we all have a destiny or are we floating around on a breeze? Forest concludes, "I think it's both...happening at the same time." Then you can recall all the events in Forest's life are an mix of divine intervention and free-will choices by Forest. Beautifully poetic.

I'm glad you watched FORREST GUMP, it's a shame we couldn't watch more of it with you!

Amazing movie and a great post-watch review. It's clear that the movie hit you like it did most of us. My 1 minor gripe is with the reaction edit. It was heavily cut, too fast paced and felt more like a movie trailer than a reaction. Having said that, I'm well aware you've had copyright issues in the past so sometimes you might be overly cautious and wind up cutting too much. Again, super glad you liked the movie and a big congrats on your new book.

Jenny couldn't have told Forrest about little Forrest, because he was running.

In the scene in the bar on New Year's Eve, Lt. Dan tells Forrest that if he ever becomes a shrimp boat Captain that he'll be his first mate. He then says that'll be the day he's an astronaut. Tom Hanks' next movie? Apollo 13, with Gary Sinese as an astronaut.

Yes, the little boy playing Forest Gump Junior is the boy from “The Sixth Sense” (Hayley Joel Osmet )!!!!

Winner of 6 Oscars including Best Picture.

I always loved the simplicity of the line: “I never thanked you for saving my life.” Without having to say it or doing anything else, that said so much. And then we get the payoff of him walking to the wedding and, as you pointed out, having a good life that would have never happened if he died in Vietnam. And now that I think about it, Forrest saved his life twice: the obvious first and then again in getting him down to be on the shrimp boat and not simply languishing in that apartment drinking himself to oblivion.

Interesting, interesting, Madison. The first time I saw this movie, the TWO most powerful lines that made me cry were: 1)I couldnt tell where heaven stopped and the earth began 2.)I wish I coulda been there with you. "You were" Which seemed to be the same two breaking points for you. For some reason, it was those TWO, specifically, that spoke to me. Later, on rewatch, i cry at other parts, too, specifically, "Is he smart, or is he.....like me," which to me is simply top-tier acting. But...i've never met or heard of anyone hitting those two same high points in the movie as me.

Wish this wasn't so short.

I think my favorite quote from the movie is one rarely mentioned. When Jennie has tried to destroy the pains of her past by throwing rocks at her childhood house, Forrest's voiceover says "Sometimes there just aren't enough rocks." We can try to strike out against the things in our pasts which have hurt us, but no amount of rock-throwing at it will fix it. We have to find a way to understand and heal and put it behind us.

If I had realized that you hadn't seen this previously, I would have recommended it as the perfect Madison reaction movie. It has everything you would like and checks all your boxes, so it amazes me that this is your first time. I'm so glad you've seen it now. Great reaction!

"Is he smart, or is he..." Aaaaaand i lost it.

Love this movie and the reaction! Thank you!

Wow! What a lovely reaction. Even if you had not spoken a single word, your beautiful face said it all. This movie has reduced me to tears many times. So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks, Madison! And no need to apologize for the stuffy, tear-filled review. It only makes you more genuine. By the way, your brows are bitchin! 😊

Forrest, essentially, was the feather floating and going wherever the "wind' moved him. He didn't overthink or 2nd guess - he just went with it - - - sorta a childlike curiosity so to speak. Not surprising Curious George was his favorite book.

One of the few examples I can call to mind of a movie that is better than the book. Such great performances, and putting Forrest into footage of actual events was super effective even if now it doesn't stand up against what they can do today. Love this film.

The movie is adapted from a novel by Winston Groom, a respected academic historian. He wrote the novel in part as a satire, the idea being that some events in recent American history (school segregation, the assassination of JFK and RFK, Watergate, Nixon's ping-pong diplomacy with China, the Vietnam War, our fascination with Elvis, the 70's jogging craze) are so irrational that they are as easily explainable as the work of an idiot as any other explanation. But of course even though it's a satire, it's so well-written that it works on several other levels as well.

👍 The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

"I'm assuming Tom Hanks won an Oscar for this"... That's how you know this might be the greatest performance ever on screen. When you watch it and just know he won an Oscar without actually even really knowing. Like, you know not another performance could be given that this wouldn't have beaten. Fun Fact: He won two years in a row. A rare feat. He won the year before for Philadelphia.

Always a joy to hear you.😊 Thanks for sharing

Though I've seen this movie numerous times I ended up shedding a tear at the end. I believe, despite having watched others react to tis, yours was the most subtle and moving. Thank you.

Hi, Madison I have been your reactions and I just subscribed because this is in my opinion from what I've seen, your most touching and beautiful reaction, crying is so sublime, it expresses what language and knowledge cannot produce. Best wishes from Monterrey Mexico.

One of my fave films of all-time. Hanks' iconic role with a strong ensemble stands out as you said for portrayal of Gump - and I even got tears with your reactions so never apologize for yours.

My Father-in-law refused to go to the theater with us to see this movie. He was a retired teacher, had read about it and said the idea that a man with a 75 IQ could become a millionaire was ridiculous. He missed out......Money is not what this picture is about

Thank you Madison sweety ! Good choice for review. I love that smile of yours ❤..keep up the good work !

No movie until I saw this in the theaters had ever hit me in the feels like the line "Is he smart? or is he.... (like me)? "... GREAT movie...

I couldn't stand Jenny when I first saw this film as a kid but she was actually a blessing to Forrest. Yeah, the movie could have easily been a disaster but they nailed it. It's such an American tale. It really resonated with the Boomer generation, huge hit.

Forrest Gump is my favorite, this film makes me smile, laughing and cry mixed became one nice touched feeling. Thank you for your reaction, God bless you - from Indonesia

I'm from Arkansas so you can probably guess what my favorite line in the movie is

You expressed it very well in your review, thanks and warm regards from the Netherlands!

Roll Tide Roll!! You live in Bama and you've never seen this movie!? It's a masterpiece. All Jenny ever knew was to run. She felt like Forrest deserved better than her. She was always trying to protect him. She didn't tell him about little Forrest because he was on the run and she had no way to contact him then.

And everyone in Washington, D.C. is cheering for this couple from an obscure little town in Alabama.

What a great analysis at the end, Madison, in spite of the snot! It was very interesting to hear your storyteller’s view of how the narrative worked in such an unconventional way. Sometimes you just have to break the conventional norms! Besides, I think you can get away with pretty much anything when you’ve got Tom Hanks involved. Oh, and congratulations on the upcoming publication of your first novel! There’s been plenty of Forrest-bashing over the years, with people saying that it’s offensively sentimental, mawkish and manipulative, or that it’s reactionary and conservative in its viewpoint blah blah blah. Mostly I think that’s all down to it always being cool among certain people to bash anything that achieves popular success, and Forrest Gump was a phenomenon when it was first released. Paramount spent a sh*toad on advertising so it was hard to escape, and then it won several Oscars and Hanks gave a teary acceptance speech… all while Shawshank Redemption was ignored by virtually everyone. As that film gained more recognition over time, people began to see Forrest almost as a usurper, that the wrong film got the plaudits. Regardless, it’s still loved and it is truly a wonderful piece of filmmaking. I’ve loved it from the first time I ever saw it at the cinema!

I love this movie so much! Can watch his endlessly. Such a statement about humanity and life, and all that means. This movie is one of those perfect storms. Great reaction, but I think you could have upped it around ten more minutes and includes some parts, because some of the jumps in time are kind of jarring. "I'm Forrest. Forrest Gu-UMP!" Love it!

Your review is spot on, best movie ever. Beautiful print over your right shoulder.

2 actors in the history of the Oscars have won back-to-back best acter awards. SpencerTracy and Tom Hanks (for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump)

Castaway needs to be next!

Tom Hanks is my favorite actor, a lot of people haven't seen 'The Terminal' it's a great one, and his latest 'A Man Called Otto' doesn't disappoint either.

There are so many historical references in this movie. It is like listening to Don McLean’s American Pie. If you start getting into the details you will learn lots of little details about events from the 50s on. We did have things like ping-pong diplomacy.

This movie made me shed some tears as well.

Forrest narrating the story with the "naive innocence" few people can lay claim to... and he was pretty much involved in every major event of "his" lifetime. Nice reaction Madison.

Great review Madison

The early scenes where Forrest is walking and running in his braces brings back a lot of memories. My younger brother and I both caught polio in 1952. I was four and my brother was two. My only complication was a bad fever, but my brother suffered shortened Achilles tendons; had to wear braces just like Forrest's. He could not play sports or activities requiring jumping, running, or prolonged walking. Those was frightening years for parents, as no one knew what caused the disease, and certainly not how to prevent it. Like early Covid, rumors were rampant and everyone feared for their children. Many kids crippled and some in "iron lung" machines for their lives. (Turns out that we caught it around the swimming pool at Travis Air Force Base in California before flying to Japan).

Too much of the movie left out. This is a difficult one, though. From what I have heard.

Great job, Madison! The other thing that's great about this movie is that it's basically a United States history lesson from the 1950s to the 1990s.

Great movie. Just sorry you skipped past some of the best moments I would have loved to see your reaction to.

No apologies necessary. It's a powerful movie. ❤️

Yes, of course Tom Hanks won the Oscar for his role. And the movie got 5 other, including best picture. Also nominated in 7 more categories. (Gary Sinise for best supporting for instance.)

I loved this review. You can't beat a genuine reaction.

First things first: great movie, great reaction. Secondly I am wondering why some of your movie reactions are 40 mins long and this one only 22? So many scenes missing here where I would have loved to see your reaction. What a bummer!

Those were beautiful tears.

Tissues should be considered a business expense for reactors. You might want to have them on hand as standard practice cause some movies can make people cry out of nowhere.

Incidentally, I'm lucky enough to be reading an advance copy of Madison's book - and it's GREAT!

Great review. You are one of the first people I've seen who truly understood the complexity of Jenny.

War Eagle girl lol glad u finally watched it and great reaction, I'm from NE Alabama it's nice to see a KZfaqr from my home state

Loved it. Thank you.

It always amazes me when people say they've never seen it. It's one of those films like Shawshank Redemption that seems to be on ALL the time. It's almost unavoidable at this point. Plus it was so incredibly popular.😕

i remember going to the restaurant with my friends family, such a cool experience you might have. to go again after this reaction 😂

Morgan Freeman was also nominated for the Shawshank Redemption, John Travolta for Pulp Fiction that same year..

The soundtrack to This is great!

If you haven’t watched The Green Mile, you should. Tom Hanks is fantastic as always. And have tissues near by, you’ll need them.

Forest is like the father, floating along on the wind that is time.

I think the reason the exposition works here is because it tells us his perception (and conception) of the events of his life, in contrast to the level of detail *we* get shown to us (and through what we know of history). And those differences are part of the story.

Please watch "Who framed Roger Rabbit". It's also from Robert Zemeckis.

Great Reaction!!!

Good luck with your book!

Great film spanning American history, (even for a non American like me!)

Will your book come out in print?

You were touched and effected by the same scenes and lines as me.....great reaction and review.

This is one of my top 10 movies of all time. I don't know anyone who doesn't love it.

A great film that has some similarities to Forrest Gump is "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett star in it. It's a profound story of a man who was born very old and gets younger as everyone ages normally. It's a more personal story, with not as many references to historical events. You WILL need your tissues!

Forrest never held any maliciousness or callousness or spitefulness toward anyone that abused and bullied him. He knew what was being done, but it didn't stop him from going out, from experiencing the world and I think we sometimes wish we could be like that. We aren't though. We aren't that simple. We're more like Jenny, really. All of the people in her world are the same, the product of the ugliness and hurt of this world. I think what turns audiences against her after seeing these reactions is when she leaves him for that last time. We've seen her do that to other men but we know that Forrest isn't like those other men. He isn't like anyone but she's so lost that somehow she doesn't know how to reconcile with the wounds she's accumulated. That hurts some people, seeing innocence and genuineness treated like that. He's seen her leave but to wake up after an intimate experience they shared, with him going room to room in the house, seeing only that she's vanished, was heartbreaking. I still wonder even to this day if Forrest was thinking he did something wrong, or bad, and him being all alone to try and process that.

The netflix series "The Movies that Made us" has a great episode about the making of Forrest Gump

"Is he smart or is he...." the inferred "like me" just guts me every time. Was hoping to see your reaction to that part. Glad you liked it. :)

I love the marketing tag line for this film. Forrest Gump - The story of a lifetime.

Great reaction, Madison. It could have been longer, though.

You forgot Appollo 13! Also a Tom Hanks movie well worth a watch.

Great reaction 💯

This is my second favorite movie, outranked only by Independence Day. I don't entirely know how that made first place.

15:17 "She just never told him!?" Well, Forrest had been running across the country for a few years. I guess it's hard to track someone down like that in the early 1980s on a waitress' salary.

Bodda Getta Bodda Getta… Wonderful reaction and review per usual. War Eagle!

WAR DAMN EAGLE !!! I'm subbing off of that alone.

Another unconventional aspect of this movie is that the protagonist, Forrest, doesn't change. No character development necessary. But he changes everyone around him.

I saw this movie back when it came out in theaters and I was a emotional mess when it was over this movie was awesome and still is.

Hi ! I suggest the movie "Apollo 13" with Tom Hanks

Beautiful reaction! And yes, crying will happen during this film. It's guaranteed. So glad you understood Jenny's character because a lot of film reactors haven't. They get mad at Jenny and don't realize how wounded and damaged she was from her childhood on. That's why she didn't feel worthy to stay with Forrest for the longest time.

Thank you for your genuineness in your review of this movie. If you enjoy watching the greatest modern day actor then watch Philadelphia where he stars opposite Denzel Washington.