“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get” (Hanks). Often when books are made into films, they are poorly made. Forrest Gump is one such example. The novel Forrest Gump was written in 1986 by author Winston Groom. The movie Forrest Gump was created by Paramount Pictures in 1994. Tom Hanks plays the main character Forrest Gump. The film portrays Forrest Gump in a different and sometimes more innocent way than his character in the book. This manifests itself in three different ways: Jenny and Forrest's relationship, the characters' drug use, and in the book Forrest is involved in more activities and adventures. Although there are many differences between the two, there are nevertheless some key similarities that are important to consider. mention. One of the main similarities is that many main or important characters are always involved. The book features characters such as Jenny, Lt. Dan, Mama, and Bubba. All of these characters are represented as major elements of the film. The New York Times spoke about this fact in its review of the film in the article "Tom Hanks as an intruder in the story". Janet Maslin, the critic, states that “(Forrest) was disabled as a young boy but pushed by his loving mother (Sally Fields) to make the most of his abilities” (Maslin 2). The reason the film kept these characters is because they play a major role in Forrest's life. Maslin explained this through his relationship with his mother. In both the book and the film, characters like Mama affect Forrest's growth and development. They also play a major role in the lifestyle he leads and his achievements. Like the friendship Forrest has with Lieutenant Dan and what Forrest learns or experiences...... middle of paper ...... these are the adventures he goes on and how they change the character he it could have been. Whether or not the movie changed the plot from the book to the movie, this movie still remains a favorite in my book. But I still think the other plot points would have been really good additions to what Forrest could have done. I know I've seen Tom Hanks as an astronaut before, but "The Dunce" would be awesome to watch. Works CitedGroom, Winston. Forrest Gump. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1986. Groom, Winston. Gump & Co. Rockland, MA: Wheeler Pub, 1995. Hanks, Tom. perf. Forrest Gump. Real. Robert Zemeckis. Paramount Pictures., 1994. VHS. Hugo, Giles. “Sometimes there just aren’t enough stones.” Writing tips. The Write Stuff, nd Web. January 23, 2014 Maslin, Janet. “Tom Hanks as an intruder in the story.” Sometimes. New York Times, July 6, 1994.Web. January 23. 2014.