Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump is a great movie. It’s well written, clever, well shot, well acted, and comes together into a total classic.

The only little problem I have with it is Lt. Dan’s struggle to accept himself. Not the struggle itself, that is believable, even though I’m bored to death with the “overcoming disability” plotline. It seems to be the only reason to have a character with a disability in a film. But that’s not the fault of any individual movie.

No, the thing that rubs me the wrong way is that part of Lt. Dan pulling himself out of his slump is that he gets prosthetic legs.

He goes from unkempt, mean, angry, bitter, in a wheelchair to clean shaven, friendly, has a girlfriend, and is walking.

Why is walking a measure of success? He can’t be integrated into society until he looks us much like “normal” as possible? That’s BS. For someone with that injury, a lot of times a wheelchair is much easier to use and allows for more freedom. People should not be shamed out of choosing a wheelchair if it is the best option for them, and it is the best option for Dan.

I was talking last night with a friend about this and he says I’m being too hard on them, that it’s just a way to show a transformation, to surprise the audience with his difference. I guess I should take his word for it, since he is also a double leg amputee. I still think they could have shown the transformation without resorting to making him walk.