Forrest Gump

A man with a low IQ has accomplished great things in his life and been present during significant historic events—in each case, far exceeding what anyone imagined he could do. But despite all he has achieved, his one true love eludes him.

Forrest Gump earned strong marks from most critics for Hanks's performance and the film's tonal balance between comedy and genuine emotion, but a vocal minority found its treatment of American history shallow and its sentimentality manipulative. The central character himself became the flashpoint: where some saw an affecting everyman, others saw a troubling blank slate that flatters the audience's nostalgia rather than interrogating it. Audiences embraced it far more warmly than the critical split might suggest.