The simple life

Sometimes I surf various movie websites, looking at the critical and popular opinions of films that I enjoy. Sometimes it's a humorous experience, particularly when perusing laymen's self-righteous pontifications on the extreme faults of Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather." Other times, it becomes an interesting use of time when I find truly well-organized opinions and unique thoughts on a film. There was one film, however, that garnered a reaction quite unexpected.

I generally thought that "Forrest Gump" was one of those feel-good movies that, even if one believes that "Pulp Fiction" deserved the 1994 Academy Award for Best Picture, was widely enjoyed and rarely drew strong negative opinions. It did not take much time to discover that my innocent, perhaps naive, view of the popularity of the film was mistaken.

"Forrest Gump" received some of the most visceral and angry attacks of any movie that I researched. I could envision the bulging veins of the reviewers as they pounded their keyboards in disgust after viewing the simple Forrest tell his story on that bench in Savannah, Ga.

These people were absolutely outraged that an American film would dare portray an unintelligent man as the hero, as a potentially influential figure in society. To my mind, this was the primary allure of the film: that a simple man who lacked intelligence but was blessed with a caring, loving soul achieve success of all types and could do well for himself and his country. And perhaps his simplicity represents the American people through the turmoil of the 20th century, riding the waves of events and trying to do their best, but never quite understanding the entirety of the situation, never fully appreciating the enormity of their lives and their importance. This is a perspective only history can allow. Apparently, though, Forrest's simplicity and willingness to trust authority is offensive to the egos of those who define themselves based on their intellect.

How can a stupid man influence American political events? More importantly, how can a film glorify stupidity? It is nothing more than "a crass conservative message," as one reviewer termed it, that someone could actually get ahead, that a man could achieve some sort of self-actualization through blindly accepting that which is expected of him.

The visceral anger over the idea that the film is "an extended celebration of stupidity as a virtue" is most disturbing. These reviewers are truly offended at the portrayal of simplicity and innocence in a positive light. They define human and social worth based on intellectual capacity, easily tossing aside the more philosophical, perhaps spiritual message of the film as "boring [and] over-sentimental."

Of course, in order to prove his own intellectual capacity, each negative reviewer made sure to flex his linguistic muscles. One described the movie as "a pastiche of sentimentalism and forced nostalgia." Another particularly clever reviewer entitled his post: "Stupid is ... anyone who thinks this is a good film." My personal favorite is the reviewer who lamented the "Academy's milquetoast voting standards." Milquetoast? Come now. Oh, by the way, the adjective is milquetoasty.

Each comment drips with sarcasm, condescension and arrogance. Each reviewer holds all who do not live up to his own intellectual standard in the utmost contempt. This, of course, extends far beyond the overtly simple Forrest Gump; this contempt, this hatred is held toward all those common folk, the average citizens, the masses. Is this an exaggeration? One reviewer, obviously one of the intelligent people who deign to even hold a conversation with a commoner, let alone enjoy a film that is little more than "pablum for the masses," said it best: "The masses are stupid."

This is too often the face of contemporary intellectualism. A belief, reminiscent of Raskolnikov, of intellectual superiority that is analogous to personal and moral superiority permeates their overactive cerebra, tossing aside any higher truths that cannot be understood by their all-too-human minds. They watch a movie like "Forrest Gump" and only see the glorification of a stupid man. All the rest is pure sentiment, for which their minds have no room to spare.

But it is in this sentiment where the meaning of the film lies, for it is not is his intellect where Forrest's humanity exists. It is found somewhere more profound, somewhere more important. Forrest Gump is a good man with a loving heart and a caring soul. He does what is right not for personal gratification, but because it is right. His heart, filled with the power of a force beyond that which any man's intellect can comprehend, understands the world better than any of the of the self-aggrandizing intellectuals who so malign him. Brandon McGinley is a freshman from Pittsburgh, Pa. He may be reached at bmcginle@princeton.edu.