Movie ratings are usually pretty straightforward. You look at a number, you see some stars, and you move on. But the rating of Forrest Gump is a weird, sticky thing that has shifted more than most people realize since it first hit theaters in July 1994.
Honestly, it's a bit of a cinematic paradox. On one hand, you’ve got this absolute juggernaut that pulled in over $678 million at the global box office and snatched up six Oscars. On the other hand, if you scroll through Letterboxd or Reddit today, you’ll find a younger generation of viewers who are... let's just say, less than impressed. They see it as a "boomer fantasy" or "Oscar-bait."
So, what is the actual deal with the ratings? Is it a 10/10 masterpiece or a 7/10 nostalgia trip that hasn't aged well?
The Cold Hard Numbers: IMDb vs. Rotten Tomatoes
If you’re looking for a quick answer, the numbers tell two very different stories.
On IMDb, the movie is basically royalty. It currently sits at number 11 on the Top 250 list with a staggering 8.8/10. That’s higher than Inception, The Matrix, and even Goodfellas. To the average moviegoer, Forrest Gump is essentially bulletproof.
But then you look at Rotten Tomatoes, and things get a little spicy.
The critics' score—the Tomatometer—is sitting at 76%. For a "Best Picture" winner, that’s surprisingly low. To put that in perspective, 76% is a "C" grade in most schools. Even more interesting? That score has actually dropped over time. Back in 2004, the movie had an 81% rating. As the years go by, newer critics are looking back and finding things they don't like.
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Meanwhile, the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is a massive 95%. This gap is where the real story lies. Critics are busy deconstructing the subtext and political implications, while the rest of us are just crying because Lieutenant Dan finally found his "magic legs."
Why the Rating of Forrest Gump is So Divisive Now
In 1994, the world felt very different. Robert Zemeckis was using "groundbreaking" CGI to put Tom Hanks into historical footage with JFK and John Lennon. People had never seen anything like it. It felt like magic.
Today? That magic has faded into the background because we see deepfakes on social media every five minutes. Without the "wow" factor of the special effects, people are looking closer at the story.
The "Conservative" vs. "Satire" Debate
A lot of the lower modern ratings come from a political place. Some critics argue the movie is deeply conservative. They point out that Forrest—the guy who always does what he’s told and never questions authority—gets rich, finds love, and becomes a hero.
Meanwhile, Jenny—who protests the war, joins the counter-culture, and experiments with drugs—is "punished" by the narrative with a terminal illness.
But then you talk to other experts who say the movie is actually a scathing satire. They argue the film is mocking the "American Dream" by showing that you have to be literally "simple" to survive it. This nuance is why the rating of Forrest Gump fluctuates so much depending on who you ask.
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The 1995 Oscar Snub
You can’t talk about how this movie is rated without mentioning the "Pulp Fiction" of it all.
At the 67th Academy Awards, Forrest Gump beat out Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption for Best Picture. For many film buffs, this was a crime. Pulp Fiction was cool, edgy, and changed how movies were made. Forrest Gump was sentimental and safe. This "snub" has definitely colored how the film is rated by hardcore cinephiles over the last 30 years.
The MPAA Rating: Is It Really "For Families"?
Aside from the 1-to-10 scores, we have to look at the actual content rating.
The rating of Forrest Gump is officially PG-13.
A lot of parents remember it as a "feel-good" movie and forget how dark it actually gets. It’s got:
- War Violence: The Vietnam sequence is surprisingly gritty and intense.
- Drug Use: There are heavy depictions of IV drug use and the 70s party scene.
- Sexual Themes: Several scenes involving Jenny’s trauma and her relationship with Forrest.
- Language: It’s not a "sailor" movie, but it has its moments.
It’s the quintessential "bridge" movie—safe enough for a teenager to watch with their parents, but mature enough that it’s not a "kids' film."
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How to Judge it Today
If you’re deciding whether to rewatch it or show it to someone for the first time, don't just look at the 76% or the 8.8.
Look at the performance. Tom Hanks is undeniable here. He won his second consecutive Best Actor Oscar for this (the first was for Philadelphia). Even the harshest critics usually admit that his portrayal of Forrest is a masterclass in subtlety.
Also, look at the soundtrack. It’s basically a "Greatest Hits of the 20th Century." It sold over 12 million copies. That kind of cultural impact is hard to capture in a simple star rating.
The Verdict on the Ratings
So, what's the real rating of Forrest Gump?
- For the Casual Viewer: It remains a 9/10. It’s emotional, funny, and has those "instant classic" quotes we all know.
- For the Academic Critic: It’s a 6/10 or 7/10. They see it as a bit too manipulative and politically messy.
- For the History Buff: It’s a 10/10 for its clever (if not always 100% accurate) walk through American history.
The truth is, the movie is a mirror. If you value traditional storytelling and emotional payoff, you’ll rate it high. If you prefer edge, subversion, and "cool" factor, you’ll probably think it’s overrated.
How to approach Forrest Gump in 2026:
- Watch it for the acting: Forget the CGI; watch the small choices Tom Hanks and Gary Sinise make.
- Listen to the subtext: Try to see if you think it's praising Forrest's passivity or mocking the world around him.
- Check the 4K version: The 30th-anniversary re-releases actually look incredible on modern screens.
The best way to settle the debate is to skip the review sites for a night. Fire up the movie, grab some chocolates (obviously), and see if it still moves you the same way it did 30 years ago.
Read the original Winston Groom novel if you want to see how much darker the story could have been—in the book, Forrest actually goes to space with an orangutan named Sue. Yeah, the movie was definitely the "safer" version.