Forrest Gump
HeartGuard score
How suitable a title is for Christian viewers, from 0 to 100. It weighs the content meters and the worldview.
- 80–100Recommended
- 60–79Good overall
- 35–59Think it throughThis film
- 15–34Strong caution
- 0–14Not recommended
HeartGuard score
How suitable a title is for Christian viewers, from 0 to 100. It weighs the content meters and the worldview.
- 80–100Recommended
- 60–79Good overall
- 35–59Think it throughThis film
- 15–34Strong caution
- 0–14Not recommended
Worldview score
What the story celebrates or condemns.
Why +1 for this film
The story honours loyalty, honesty, faithful love and kindness, shown in Forrest's simple goodness, while showing drugs, abuse and bitterness as damaging. Faith is mostly sympathetic, though sex outside marriage goes largely unexamined.
- +2Affirms faithPresents faith in God positively and as true
- +1Positive valuesThis filmHonesty, sacrifice and family win out
- 0Mixed or neutralNo clear stance
- −1AmbivalentShows sin without judging it either way
- −2Glamorises sinMakes sin look attractive and rewarding
Age guide
How suitable this film is for each age group.
Why 13+ for this film
War violence, implied sex with brief nudity, drug use, implied child abuse and a suicidal moment give it real weight for younger viewers.
- Under 8No
- Ages 8–12Wait
- Ages 13–15With a parent
- Ages 16–17Yes
- AdultsYes
A warm, funny and often moving tale of a simple, faithful man drifting through decades of American history. Expect war violence, implied sex, drug use, child abuse that is implied and moderate language.
Watch guide
What's in it?
LanguageFrequent mild-moderate
Frequent cursing and crude terms, with occasional stronger words including a rare f-word. Characters also use racial and developmental slurs, mostly as insults aimed at Forrest.
BlasphemySeveral misuses
God's name is taken in vain a number of times. A bitter Lieutenant Dan rails against God, and the film frames this as part of his anger and grief.
Sex and nudityImplied sex, brief nudity
Sex is implied several times, including a principal with Forrest's mother and Forrest with Jenny. There is brief partial female nudity mostly obscured, a woman removing her bra, and distant male rear nudity.
RelationshipsAbuse, adultery, drift
Jenny's father abuses her as a child, which is implied rather than shown. A married principal trades sex for a favour, and Jenny drifts through unhealthy relationships, including a violent boyfriend.
ViolenceWar combat, injuries
A Vietnam ambush brings gunfire, explosions and bloodied, dying soldiers. A man loses both legs, and there are scenes of bullying and a boyfriend hitting Jenny.
Frightening scenesWar and distress
The jungle ambush is tense and a friend dies in Forrest's arms. Jenny stands on a high ledge while on drugs, and there is serious illness and grief.
Drugs and alcoholDrug use, shown bleakly
Jenny uses cocaine, LSD and other drugs, with heroin needles implied, and Lieutenant Dan drinks heavily. Both are shown as destructive.
AttitudesPrejudice, challenged
Forrest faces bullying and slurs, and racism appears in historical scenes. Cruelty is clearly shown as wrong, set against Forrest's loyalty and kindness.
OccultNone
No occult content.
- To knowContent to know about
- Skip for kidsSkip for younger viewers
- DiscussWorth discussing
- Early
Sexual content
Forrest's school principal trades sex with his mother in his office to get him enrolled. It is implied rather than shown, and the principal is wearing a wedding ring.
- Early
Child abuse
Young Jenny prays with Forrest to be turned into a bird so she can fly away from her father. The abuse at home is implied, not shown.
- Mid
War violenceSkip if under 13
A Vietnam ambush brings gunfire, explosions and wounded, bloodied soldiers. Forrest carries men to safety and a close friend dies.
- Mid
Anger at God
Lieutenant Dan, who has lost both legs, is bitter and drinks heavily. He rages at God and mocks Forrest's simple faith.
- Mid
Nudity and drug use
Jenny's life as a hippie includes a nightclub scene with partial nudity, a woman removing her bra, and drug use including LSD and pot, with heroin implied.
- Mid
Suicide
Jenny, affected by drugs, stands on a high ledge and appears to contemplate suicide before stepping back.
- Late
Sex outside marriage
Forrest and Jenny sleep together before marriage, and Jenny later has a child as a result. The scene is implied, with no explicit content.
- Late
Sad ending
The film ends on a sad note, with serious illness and grief conveyed through quiet, emotional scenes that many viewers find moving and upsetting.
How to play
- 1. Draw a cardOne person reads the question out loud.
- 2. Everyone answersThere are no wrong answers. Listen before you reply.
- 3. Pass it onThe next person draws, until the deck is done.
Faith & story
What does it say?
What's it about?The plot, without the ending
Forrest Gump, a kind man from Alabama with a low IQ and a leg brace as a boy, sits on a bench and tells strangers the story of his life. Guided by his devoted mother's simple wisdom, he drifts through decades of American history, from school and college football to war, business and national celebrity. Through it all, his love for his childhood friend Jenny, whose life takes a far harder path than his, remains constant. A funny, tender and sometimes painful story about loyalty, love and what a person makes of the life they are given.
Through a faith lensHow it connects to the Bible
Forrest is a picture of simple, steadfast faithfulness: he keeps his promise to Bubba, stays loyal to Dan and goes on loving Jenny however often she leaves. Scripture praises this kind of love, which bears all things and endures. His readiness to forgive and welcome Jenny back echoes the father who ran to meet his returning son. Jesus lifted up the humble and the overlooked, and the film likewise gives its quiet hero a dignity the clever and powerful lack. Lieutenant Dan's rage at God and slow journey towards peace recall Job, who wrestled with God in his suffering and found that God could bear his anger. Jenny's childhood prayer to escape her father shows a cry for rescue. Her later years, marked by drugs and drifting, reflect the harm of sowing to the flesh. Mrs Gump's remark that God made each person different fits the biblical view that every life is made with purpose. The film touches on sex outside marriage and adultery without much comment, so families may wish to weigh these against Scripture's higher standard.
Fruit of the SpiritWhich fruit does it show?
8 out of 9 fruits ripe in this film
Ripe grapes are shown in the film, buds are missing
- Self-control
Forrest shows Love and Faithfulness in his devotion to Jenny, Bubba and Dan, and Patience in waiting years for Jenny and in bearing the bullies' cruelty. His Kindness and Goodness appear when he shares his wealth with Bubba's family and the community, and his Gentleness in how he treats his mother and his son. Joy runs through his plain delight in small things, and Peace comes to Dan as he lets go of his bitterness. Against this the film shows works of the flesh: Sexual immorality in the principal's exchange with Forrest's mother and in Jenny's relationships, Drunkenness in Dan's despair, Hatred in the bullies and in the violent men around Jenny, and Fits of anger in Dan's furious outbursts.
The charactersExamples to follow or avoid
Forrest GumpTom HanksA gentle, literal-minded man of unwavering honesty and loyalty. He keeps his promises and his devotion to the people he loves, often without grasping the events around him.
Jenny CurranRobin WrightForrest's childhood friend, marked by an abusive home. She searches restlessly for love and escape, and her choices lead her into harmful places.
Lieutenant Dan TaylorGary SiniseForrest's army commander, proud and bitter after his injuries. He struggles with anger, drink and his sense of purpose.
Mrs. GumpSally FieldForrest's loving mother, who insists he is no different from anyone else. She offers him homespun wisdom and fierce protection.
Bubba BlueMykelti WilliamsonA friendly soldier who befriends Forrest in the army. His dream of a shrimping business shapes Forrest's later choices.
How Christians are portrayed
Faith is treated warmly but lightly. Forrest's church choir, Jenny's childhood prayer and his mother's remarks about God are sincere, and Dan's angry challenge to God is taken seriously as part of his grief. No clergy or churchgoers are mocked, though faith is mostly in the background rather than the film's concern.
Community
What other Christians think
What did you notice?
Strong language (the f-word or similar)?
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Review
Helpful reviewer
The star beside a name
Given to members whose reviews 25 or more people have marked Helpful.
It rewards reviews that help other families decide, not how many someone writes. It's a sign others have found their reviews thoughtful, not a verdict on anyone's faith.
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Details
Film details
- In theatres
- Jul 6, 1994
- On streaming
- Sep 8, 2011
- Cast
- Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field
- Director
- Robert Zemeckis
- Studios
- Paramount Pictures, The Steve Tisch Company, Wendy Finerman Productions
- Genre
- Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Run time
- 2h 22m
- Age rating
- US PG-13 · UK 12
How we analysed this
We gathered the plot and reception, and facts that independent sources agree on, then rated each content area against our rubric and worldview scale, using AI models calibrated on reference titles. Not yet reviewed by our team. Confidence: medium.
Score = 100 − 16 × content concern (3.38) + 8 × worldview (+1) = 54
Updated 2026-10-14