Forrest Gump is a 1994 epic comedy-drama romance film. It was based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis and starred Tom Hanks. The story portrays several decades in the life of Forrest Gump, a naïve and slow-witted native of Alabama. The film shows how he witnesses, and in some cases changes, some of the most important events of the latter half of the 20th century. One critic loved the film and wrote: "Hanks' performance is a breathtaking balancing act between comedy and sadness, in a story rich in big laughs and quiet truths....what a magical movie." Another film critic, Pauline Kael, stated: "I hated itthoroughly."
Forrest Gump was the top grossing film in North America released in 1994. It won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects and Best Film Editing. It also scooped dozens more awards. The line: "Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get," was ranked 40th on the "100 Years..." list of the greatest 100 Movie Quotes. "Entertainment Weekly," writing in 2004, said many people see the movie "as an artificial piece of pop melodrama, while everyone else raves that it's as sweet as a box of chocolates." In December 2011, Forrest Gump was selected forpreservation in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.