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"Is he smart? Or is he... is he.. like me?" Will never NOT make me cry.

This film changed Gary Sinese's life. He took to the cause of raising funds for wounded veterans and his Lt Dan Band plays multiple concerts for charity and USO shows. Truly a great American. Nominated for this role and to this day I am split over if he should have beaten Martin Landau for his portrayal of Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood.

What I find most heartbreaking is that his army drill sergeant treated him with more respect than just about anyone else in the movie.

“Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs. Sometimes they don't go home at all." That's what Forrest had to say about the war in Vietnam.

"I guess sometimes there just aren't enough rocks," is one of the most relatable lines in a movie ever, and it gets overlooked by nearly everyone.

I have always thought that moment Forrest asks, "Is he smart or...", is one of the finest pieces of acting ever put on film.

"Forrest Gump is like a feather in the wind" --Shanelle, nailing the symbolism of the movie

I relate so much to Jenny in this movie. And just a word to those who dump on Jenny so much. This is exactly how this unfolded in my case. After my experience I ran away from home 3 times, got caught up in drugs and alcohol, just to drown out those terrible images and nightmares from my head. Broken relationships and a complete inability to get too close to anyone. This went on for decades. When I reached my 40’s and 50’s I finally started to come to terms with all my inner struggles. Still, to this day, I have periodic nightmares. So maybe cut her character some slack as she had her own journey to go through. Was it fair to Forest. No, but you see she said “ you don’t want to marry me.” When you don’t love yourself, it’s impossible to truly give yourself to someone else. She many times an abuse victim repeats this trauma over and over again in their own relationships. It is so difficult to break the chain. Sorry this was so long. It’s personal

In NO WAY is this movie overrated!! It is one of the best examples of a perfect movie. And a truly awesome soundtrack as well!

The “Is he smart” scene gets me every time…I think it’s the first (and maybe only) time in the movie where he acknowledges that he’s not as smart as a normal person 😢

Of all the sad parts of this movie, watching Tom Hanks tear up when he asks about his son "Is he smart, or is he [like me] ... ?", is one of the most well acted moments in any of his movies in my opinion, cause you can tell Forrest has never really let his intelligence hold him back in his own life, but he doesn't want his son to have to deal with it; it's heartbreaking.

"Is he smart? Or is he like... me?" Is possibly the most emotional line in movie history.

When he asks, "Is he smart, or..." breaks my damn heart every single time!

My favorite bit of trivia: Tom Hanks was originally to play the role with his regular accent. After hearing the actor playing young Forrest speak, he studied him for hours and recorded their conversations so he could base his accent off the young actor.

As awesome as how Forrest’s story is told the one I didn’t noticed also being told was Lieutenant Dan, he first appears as a gruff and ruthless soldier and after losing his legs is reduced to a ridiculed veteran and someone who felt cheated out of what he considered to be his family’s legacy, it isn’t until he joins the shrimping business with Gump that he finds a new purpose in life and climbs the societal ladder to be the co owner of the Bubba Gump Shrimp Corporation that he is essentially reborn as a new man, and finally with his appearance at Forrest and Jenny’s wedding that he has shaved his beard and cut his hair, he has steel legs allowing him to stand and metaphorically rise like a Phoenix and most importantly to me he overcame his bias and what he was instructed to believe about a specific demographic and he ends up marrying an Asian woman (most likely Vietnamese) which to me is such a cool and detailed story within Forrest’s own story it’s a genius way of developing a ‘side’ character

I'm not even 8 minutes into this and I've already got tears because I know the wild ride Shanelle is in for.

The day after I saw Forrest Gump I was talking to a customer ( I managed a coffeehouse) about the movie . He served in the Infantry and later as helicopter pilot in Vietnam . This guy was an executive bank officer and not prone to hyperbole. He said the scene were the rain stopped and all hell broke loose was EXACTLY what it was like in Vietnam. Great reaction! You made me cry.

It was refreshing to watch a reaction to this where the reactor doesn't hate on Jenny the entire time. She is a complex and troubled character and while it's sad and frustrating that she pushes Forrest away for so long, it has way more to do with her than it does him. At least we get the closure that she really does love him, and they do get married and start to raise a child together before she passes. The scene at her grave destroys me every time.

One of the messages I took from Hanks performance is how the external things people would admire him for (heroism, running, ping pong, etc) he gives no weight, but the “real” things that matter in life are the heaviest (momma’s and bubba’s deaths, everything Jenny, LT Dan, and his son).

Because Shanelle Riccio is so young I thought half the elements in this movie would go unnoticed or not understood. I'm delighted how she picked up all the wonderful details of historical context, music selection, writing and movie making art. I'm feeling better to know there are young people like her out there. 2 cents. This movie is a treasure not to be missed.

“Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs. Sometimes they don’t go home at all. That’s a bad thing. That’s all I have to say about that.” - Forest Gump's speech at the peace rally So simple, so strong.

Lt. Dan's 'magic legs' scene always makes me cry. 😭😭😭 He has the best arc in the film.

Ironically Dan told forest if he’s ever a shrimp boat captain he’ll be an astronaut & then he went & got legs made of the same metal that’s on a space shuttle & he also married a Vietnamese woman even tho Vietnam took soo much from him. He made his peace.

One of the greatest movies ever made. Absolutely timeless

Forrest makes me want to be a better human being to almost everyone I encounter. Forrest, in his SIMPLICITY, represents everything we COULD be if we just make the best of everything life gives us. Obviously, he's so good-natured that he's almost too good to be true.

Two parts in this movie that are my favorite; One is when Forest asks Jenny if little Forest is smart. Which means he is fully aware of himself and who he is. Which is one of the smartest things a person can know. And second, is when Lt Dan asks Forest if he's found Jesus yet. And Forest answers "I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for him." Which shows how pure of heart Forest was. It shown that everything he did in the movie was for the purpose of doing it to no benefit to him.

Robin Wright went from Princess Buttercup to General Antiope. Add messy, depressed, free-spirited Jenny and you have the evolution of female characters in film 🌟

This plays like a Greek tragedy. All these amazing things happens to him, but all he cares about is Jenny. When he finally gets her, she dies. So sad, but so good.

I don't know how many times I've seen this movie, Shanelle, maybe 20, but I cried right along with you. Thank you for a great review!

I saw it in the theater 17 times in the first month it was released. I saw it in the theater again when it was re-released. I knew the first time I saw it, it was one of the ten best movies ever made.

You nailed it from the beginning. This movie truly is “Magic.”

Great reaction! Tom Hanks' monologue over Jenny's grave is one of the greatest tearjerking moments in the history of cinema. It got me too.

The deep and interesting characters made the movie. Its the deepness of the characters that made the emotional impacts. Lieutenant Dan and Jenny being the prime examples. Forest was just being blown in their emotional storms. And people hate Jenny because they dont understand her. Running away from every relationship she had, was her defensive mechanism from her father. Its always deep. complex, and emotional characters that make movies great. See: Apocalypse Now, The Green Mile, The Godfather, The Shawshank Redemption.

I have been spending much of my retirement so far watching Forest Gump Reaction videos. Now, here, finally, your reaction gives the movie the credit it is due.

“I don’t know how much more I can take.” I was like “Oh girl just wait..prepare to be emotionally wrecked!” Lol First time I saw this movie I was fine, right up until Forrest breaks down. There’s just something about when Tom Hanks cries, you kind of have to as well. This movie really showed how much talent he has before then he had done mostly comedies, but Forrest Gump totally put him on the map.

I happily enjoyed crying with you for 48 minutes. Two of my high school buddies and I went to see this movie on opening night when we were like fifteen years old. I'll be honest, this movie changed me. Now looking back as I get older (I am at this time 42) and after suffering the losses that inevitably come with growing older I am pleasantly suprised how much more sense this story means to me now. Thank you for bringing me back. And those two high school buddies... still my best friends.

Free Bird playing while she contemplates jumping is insane cinema in my opinion.. That solo unleashing what Jenny was feeling in her head, which is extremely hard to pin down

Imagine little Forrest going to school and learning his dad had the most amazing life ever

In my humble opinion, this movie is one of the greatest movies ever made. It tells a story through a completely unbiased lens as Gump himself was unconcerned with political matters or telling others how to live their lives. He merely focused on living his own life to the best of his ability. You have no choice but to love a man that harbored no hate or ill will toward anyone, ever. Doing so only serves to unearth one's own shortcomings and says far more about us than it does about him.

According to Tom Hanks this was what Forrest said at the Lincoln Monument “Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs. Sometimes they don’t go home at all. That’s a bad thing. That’s all I have to say about that.”

I was 11 when this came out and I thought it was overrated. I’m 39 now and I think age has made me appreciate it more. My dad who was a Vietnam vet passed away from COVID last year. Rewatching the attack scene just now hits different because my dad, who wrote an autobiography, almost never talked about the actual fighting. He’d tell you about friends and officers and camp life, but I struggle to remember a single mention of being in combat. He always enjoyed this film.

"I feel personally victimized by Forest Gump" literally made me laugh out loud. Great reaction to a great movie.

I've seen the movie countless times, and seen countless reactions, and I still bawl like a baby when Forrest is talking to Jenny's grave at the end.

"She looks like Princess Buttercup" haha... True. Your comment about Forrest being the feather on the wind was rather insightful too. Something else to consider is Jenny's motive for always telling Forest to run. That's always her solution. Just run.

Tom Hanks explained in an interview that he modeled his speech completely after the natural speech pattern of the young Forrest.

I haven't been huge fan, but this wasn't just the best Forest Gump reaction, but the best reaction period. The Forest Gump of reactions. I shed tears with you on this incredible journey and you've won a major fan. Great job. Thank you.

Great reaction. As a victim of childhood trauma my own personal favorite line in this movie is "Sometimes there just aren't enough rocks". If you know you know. Much love and keep on keepin on J.

Jenny is the one who doesn't know what love is, but it's hard to really blame her (though people love to). She equates love with abuse and abandonment. She feels if she actually let's Forrest "in" he's gonna do what every other man in her life does. Unfortunately the only person that can show her she's wrong is Forrest, who she consistently pushes away the second she starts to let him in.

When I saw Shanelle teary-eyed right at the beginning of Forrest Gump, I was concerned for what was going to happen to her during and at the end of this wonderful movie 😭 After having seen this movie in a theater when it came out in '94, I went to see it in another theater few days later (each time with another female friend of mine). This movie is on my top-5 list of all time.

To me Jenny was the second most important person in the movie. The movie showed her life from basically the same time as it started with Forest. She truly loved Forest and had the same deep down kind nature as he. She was the only one to befriend him on the bus at the very start to show her good nature. [and continued to be his good friend through high school, imagine how hard that was with all the bullies still on Forrest's case, so to speak] I know others have commented on the trauma she would have had to deal with [an obviously very deep wounding of her] so I won't go into that, just point out that they [as the two main subjects of the plot] were basically two kind hearted and worthy people from two different upbringings. She talks of how their lives are so different. [recognizing her flaws] She repeatedly tells Forrest She Does Love Him [telling him in one way or another] [always in a sad tone, knowing she could hurt the one true constant good in her life if she let him into hers then]. And not wanting to hurt the only true one she did love would say "You don't want to marry me" [imagine how it must have hurt her to have to tell him that!]. She had to fix herself [with no help from anyone in those days -totally on her own to heal herself] before worthiness could take place. Forrest helped everyone! And the way he helped her was finally to let her find the first true lovemaking she had ever done after she recovered at his house. [her choice finally to see it's OK to have a good man watch over her as she obviously made the best decision of her life to "clean up" -with all the sleeping that was needed] When she agreed with Forrest that he would make a good husband on those stairs it led to the final "fix" that happened when she would have felt so badly when he thought she didn't love him. She finally allowed herself to express to him [and herself] the lovemaking she had never known and was always afraid to accept. It was real. It was good. [for both of them] And it was time to leave [yes, once again] but this time Not Running. It was time to make herself a good clean life without his help to be sure she wouldn't hurt him to be with him. [remember she was really new to the clean life, with just those few weeks or so clean so far] She proved it to herself and I believe would have contacted Forrest about his child even if she had not come down with Hepatitis C [a not defined or understood illness back then] Two deep down Good People, with very different lives who non the less helped each other throughout their life's even as differently as it went for them. One finding it very easy to let the deep-down good person show, the other struggling greatly to let that nature show. Together it showed in both of them easily. It was a true love story from beginning to end. That's all I got to say about that.

So yeah, I never get tired of it and I can never make through a reaction with out sympathetically crying. I saw this in the theater, thank goodness I wasn't the only 25 year old dude with issues there at the time, lol. Everyone was crying. Great reaction, I was wondering if you were going to be all professional and not cry. Good to know you are an actual human. Thank you for all the content.

I wasn’t prepared to cry today, but here we are. This is my favorite movie from my early childhood. I wish that we were all a little more like Forrest.

Saw Gump years ago, but could never bring myself to revisit it (too sad)... until today, with your help & a box of tissues. It meant everything that you were so touched by this film, as I can completely relate. Thanks so much!

I cry every time, too. That scene where Forrest asks if his son is smart or dumb is one of the most heartbreaking moments in all of cinema history, IMHO.

"Is he smart or is he like me?" might just be the single greatest line delivery in the history of film acting. It rips my soul apart even after 27 years and literally hundreds of viewings. Thank you for sharing the heartbreak and magic with us, Shan!

It's so refreshing when someone can really appreciate this movie from the intent to the product put on screen. Seen way too many reactors just react to the funny little moments and not appreciate the movie as a whole. Dope reaction Shanelle.. likeeee always.

Even though I watched this whole movie along with you on Patreon, Shanelle, I had to watch this recap again! It was such a great reaction from you the whole way through the movie!

Saying it's overrated is the "cool" thing to say. I love this movie and stop and watch it every time it is on. I absolutely love your reactions. Always interesting to hear your perspectives as a film aficionado. You are also amazingly observant of things that others might miss (except when you're writing things down 😂). Keep up the great work!

It's a classic. I won't apologise for it. It's cheesy, incredibly sentimental, and absolutely wonderful. Loved watching this with you this cold and rainy morning in the UK! Zemeckis is one of my favourite American directors, he's never afraid of pushing the boundaries to get the results he wants. Next stop for you, "Contact" (1997). A must watch if you enjoy his work.

Loved this movie! I watched it in a theater with a date who told me on the way out that she hated it. I asked her why, and she said "because all the women, like Jenny and his Mom, get treated like shit while this idiot keeps bumbling into all these great experiences". I couldn't believe it and soon broke up with her. Lol.

By far one of the best reaction videos are yours. I appeciate that you don't miss much, you catch a lot of little details that most other reaction channels do. Not only about the moving making but what's happening in the movies too. Also, you are beautiful. I said it, it may be weird, I stand by it.

Oh boy. This became my favorite movie this year. Especially after watching Just SUMM Reaction watching this. I heard that Mister Rogers had seen this movie 40 times after it came out, and that Tom Hanks was his favorite actor.

You can thank the magic of digital editing to incorporate Tom Hanks into historical footage, making it look like he met these celebs. This film was groundbreaking in terms of such tech, at the time.

It is so wonderfully adorable and refreshing how you become so emotionally invested in a film's character(s).

I was almost offended when i saw that you did this in under an hour. But i was pleasantly surprised at the way you honored this epic film. Great reaction!

This movie is so close to home for me! Because my father is a Vietnam war veteran who served in the US Army between 1969-1972(during the Agent Orange fiasco)😢😢 he's currently 74, and I am SO proud of him and everyone else who served and serves! 🫡🫡

The "is he smart" line broke me. Great movie with great characters.

Watch Fried Green Tomatoes. I view that and Forrest Gump as spiritual sister movies. They’re both epic masterpieces in every way, hitting every emotional high and low. I’ve watched them both many, many times.

I love this movie. I saw it in the theater when I was 13 with a group of friends. I love re-watching it over the years and noticing things I didn't notice before and getting different perspectives on the characters as I get older. So, good - truly a classic and always a good watch to give you the feels. Glad you enjoyed it!

Two of my all time favourite movies: Forrest Gump and Back To The Future. Both movies are absolutely perfect. I watch Forrest Gump when I'm feeling sad and it gives me hope. But this movie just hits ALL the emotions. I don't care that it's an obvious 'favourite movie'. There are other GREAT films, but this is one of the handful of movies that I come back to regularly and still love every single time. SO glad I got to watch this with you for the first time 😊

I never laughed and cried so much during a movie. A true classic!!!

I just found you this morning and I really loved you genuine, heartfelt reaction to this movie! I’ll be checking out the rest of your videos today! Thank you!

According to Tom Hanks, when they unplug his mic when he’s giving his speech about Vietnam, he said "Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs. Sometimes they don't go home at all. That's a bad thing. That's all I have to say about that."

Full belly-jiggling chortle when I saw the thumbnail...no one is immune to the power of Gump. It's oddly fulfilling to know that this narrative is now part of your experience archive. Hanks' acting portraying fear and anxiety regarding his son's intelligence is the payoff because it clearly identifies his self-awareness. All through the movie it's implied that he benefits from a sort of blissful ignorance but that moment proves exactly the opposite...that his world view is chosen, not arbitrary or inherent.

This is one of those movies that made me feel like Dorothy returning from Oz after it was over. A weird kind of cinema-induced culture shock. :) I remember feeling changed somehow when I emerged, as if I'd lived an entire life in another world and could hardly remember how to be myself again. The soundtrack is amazing, too.

He started running as a coping mechanism - to help keep himself sane. Jenny ripped his heart out…

Tom Hanks in the "Is he smart" scene is probably the best acting ever? He delivers EVERYTHING that moment requires. I don't even like this film and I am blown away and in tears every time.

"Forest Gump" reminds me of the film "Zelig" . In both movies we are introduced to a fantasy individual that leads us through a succession of actual historical events .

24:09 A really smart choice was recording all of the voiceover dialogue on the bench with the other actors, instead of the usual ADR. It meant Hanks was giving a full performance, while they recorded it.

Can't believe its been 20 years or so since I've seen this film and still I cry watching your recap of it. One of the best films ever made.

I have watched tons and tons of reactors react to this outstanding film. You, I want to say, have the most intelligent comments, thoughts, and reactions to this iconic picture. I have got to thank you. I like your style and wit very much, Shanelle Riccio. Big shoutout from this old, longhaired, hippy dude in the mountains of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Peace. Later.

Dosnt matter how many times I watch this movie. It always makes me cry.

“Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs. Sometimes they don’t go home at all. That’s a bad thing. That’s all I have to say about that.” Tom Hanks said that's what Forrest said about Vietnam

The book author has stated that Jenny died of Hepatitis C, but there's conflicting material online that says the movie version died of Aids, despite aids being known and documented at that time whereas Hep C was still relatively unknown.

This just continues to be my favourite movie. I may go a long time without watching, but it will always be there and will always be incredible! Thanks for the reaction! I loved seeing it. I grew up watching Forrest Gump in the 90's, so I can never go watch it for the first time as an adult. I do remember missing a lot of things back then and now realizing what they mean. I also love that as soon as he sees Forrest Jr., he says he's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. Up until that point, it was Jenny. When he first met her, that's what he thought about her.

So glad you chose this movie. Please also watch “Good Will Hunting”

Definitely one of my all time favorite movies! People who claim this movie to be overrated are missing the true meaning of living. More trivia for you: With every transition of Forrest's age, one thing remains the same. In the first scene of each transition, he wears a blue plaid shirt. Tom Hanks' younger brother, Jim Hanks, doubled for him in many of his numerous running sequences. The filming schedule wouldn’t allow for Tom Hanks to be flown to most of these locations.

Shanelle. Thank you so much for one of the most enjoyable afternoons I’ve spent in ages binge watching your reviews of American graffiti ( my favourite childhood movie ) the back to the future trilogy and finally Forrest Gump ( my all time favourite movie). The engagement,emotion, and analysis you have provided is infectious. Keep up the great work. You are amazing 👌. I am so looking forward to seeing more of your videos. ❤️👍

I was in 7th grade when this film came out. It had a different meaning for me at that age, and as I've gotten older that meaning has changed. I've always been a history buff, so originally it was all about the history, and I thought it was taking us on a journey of the United States from the 1950s until 1981. As I've gotten older, gaining more life experience, what the movie is about has changed for me. For a time I viewed "Forrest Gump" as a film about how two people's lives turn out based on choices they make, and also seeing one's upbringing can play a role in that (Forrest was raised with love and positivity, while Jenny was raised in an abusive household). The past few years that view has also changed. I still see both earlier views when I watch "Forrest Gump", however I've come to view it as a love story (at least for the movie). Forrest is always thinking of Jenny. She keeps pushing him away throughout the film as she doesn't feel worthy enough for his love (this stemming back to her abuse by her father growing up... I suspect sexual abuse was part of that). She had to learn to love herself before she would fully let Forrest completely in. Anyway that's my take on it. It's been in my top five since it came out. As an aside here is my top five: 1. Princess Bride 2. Driving Miss Daisey 3. A Christmas Story 4. Forrest Gump 5.The Great Dictator

I think I do cry every time I watch this movie but the artificial "sharing" of the experience with this reactor definitely got me to she da tear and laugh when I saw her crying. Damn react channels. I am addicted.

I love all of your reactions and insights into movies. You know a movie is good when it makes you speechless in the end. Keep up the good work. I look forward to your next video.

You're my new favorite Reactor!!!! I love both your reactions AND your trivia/re-cap at the end. I am going to go through and watch all my favorite movies with you now!! :) :)

Your reaction was absolutely beautiful. I’ve seen this movie at least a dozen times and you made me cry all over again. Thank you!!!

The older I get the more that I realize that being "not ok" actually means that you're ok. Is there a meaning to life? Who knows... But every once in a while you'll find art with a purpose.

Great job Shanelle. Hope you keep doing these. That moment of Forrest's concern for his sons intelligence was 1 thing when I was a kid, but something ENTIRELY DIFFERENT since I've become a parent. I just can't

Loved your reaction, and I appreciate your deep appreciation for the music of the time. I think it adds SO MUCH to the experience of watching this film. Forest Gump, Pulp Fiction, and The Shawshank Redemption. An amazing year for epic films!

I’m crying with you, Forrest Gump is one of my all time favourite movies. It’s was simply beautiful and was so deep without even trying. I cry every time. Your reaction was absolutely beautiful 🤍

YESSSS Shanelle, keep it chatty and heavy on commentary, you hit it right on the head in your intro, your purpose is to grace our ears with your beautifully soft raspy voice, thats why we come back! you are definitely here to talk!

Since this movie takes a trip from the 50's to early '80's, it isn't much of a leap to say Jenny died of AIDS because she said her doctors don't know why she's sick.