Forrest Gump is remembered for lines that are funny, tender, and unexpectedly reflective. This selection of 36 quotes is grouped by character and story moment—not ranked by popularity. Each entry includes a brief scene cue to help place it in the film.
Forrest Gump is a 1994 film directed by Robert Zemeckis. Paramount lists it as PG-13 with a runtime of 2 hours and 22 minutes, and credits Tom Hanks as Forrest, Robin Wright as Jenny, Gary Sinise as Lieutenant Dan, Mykelti Williamson as Bubba, and Sally Field as Mrs. Gump. Paramount’s film page has edition and viewing information.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Forrest Gump (4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital) | $19.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Forrest Gump (Sapphire Series) [Blu-ray] | $23.55 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Tom Hanks Double Feature (The Green Mile / Forrest Gump) | $4.27 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Forrest Gump - 25th Anniversary Edition [Blu-ray] | $27.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Forrest Gump | $24.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The quotes below are presented as memorable examples, not a popularity ranking. Short lines are paired with scene cues; wording and punctuation can vary across online quote collections, so check the film itself when exact quotation matters.
Forrest’s plainspoken observations
- “Stupid is as stupid does.” Forrest offers this matter-of-fact answer when people judge intelligence by appearances.
- “My name’s Forrest Gump.” He introduces himself to strangers while waiting at a bus stop.
- “I’m not a smart man, but I know what love is.” Forrest tells Jenny what he understands about his feelings for her.
- “That’s all I have to say about that.” Forrest uses the phrase to close a story without elaborating.
- “I just felt like running.” His simple explanation for setting off on a long run across the country.
- “I had run for three years, two months, fourteen days, and sixteen hours.” Forrest recalls the length of his journey on foot.
- “I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll go home now.” After stopping his cross-country run, Forrest turns back toward home.
- “Sometimes, I guess there just aren’t enough rocks.” Forrest reflects on Jenny’s anger as they stand by a childhood place connected to painful memories.
Mrs. Gump’s advice
- “Life is like a box of chocolates.” Mrs. Gump uses the image to explain that the future is hard to predict.
- “You have to do the best with what God gave you.” She encourages Forrest to make the most of his abilities.
- “There’s an awful lot you can tell about a person by their shoes.” Mrs. Gump points out that shoes can reveal something about where a person has been.
- “You are no different than anybody else is.” She reassures Forrest when he worries about being different.
- “Don’t ever let anybody tell you they’re better than you, Forrest.” Mrs. Gump teaches her son to value himself.
Jenny and Forrest
- “Run, Forrest, run!” Jenny urges him to escape the boys chasing him.
- “Do you ever dream, Forrest, about who you’re gonna be?” Jenny asks him about the person he might become.
- “I want to go home.” Forrest says this to Jenny when he is overwhelmed by the war in Vietnam.
- “You died on a Saturday morning.” Forrest speaks to Jenny at her grave, sharing the details of their son’s life.
- “You have a baby, Jenny.” Forrest tells her about their child.
- “He’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Forrest describes his first impression of their son.
- “Is he smart, or is he…?” Forrest asks Jenny a question shaped by his own childhood experience.
- “He’s one of the smartest in his class.” Jenny reassures Forrest about their son.
Bubba and the shrimping dream
- “Shrimp is the fruit of the sea.” Bubba begins his famously expansive rundown of shrimp dishes.
- “You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it.” Bubba rattles off ways to cook shrimp while explaining the business he wants to start.
- “Anyway, like I was saying, shrimp is the fruit of the sea.” Bubba returns to his point after another interruption in his long list.
- “My mama said my back is crooked like a question mark.” Bubba shares a personal detail as the two men talk in the Army.
- “I’m gonna be a shrimp boat captain.” Bubba tells Forrest about the future he hopes to build.
- “Bubba was my best good friend.” Forrest remembers Bubba after his death.
- “I promised Bubba I’d take care of his family.” Forrest explains why he follows through on their shrimping plan.
- “We was like peas and carrots again.” Forrest uses the familiar comparison when describing the companionship he finds with Lieutenant Dan.
Lieutenant Dan and the shrimp boat
- “Where the hell is this God of yours?” Lieutenant Dan cries out during the storm at sea, confronting his anger and despair.
- “I never thanked you for saving my life.” Lieutenant Dan tells Forrest this after they have survived the storm.
- “He got me invested in some kind of fruit company.” Forrest explains that Lieutenant Dan handled his money, referring to Apple.
Running, chance, and what remains
- “I don’t know if we each have a destiny, or if we’re all just floating around accidental-like, like on a breeze.” Forrest reflects on fate and chance while remembering Jenny.
- “I think maybe it’s both.” He follows that reflection with a thought about how destiny and chance might coexist.
- “I was running.” Forrest gives a straightforward answer when asked why he crossed the country.
- “And that’s all I have to say about that.” Forrest’s familiar way of ending a story leaves its meaning to the listener.
Several lines recur or are closely related to moments elsewhere in the film; the grouping is for browsing, not a claim that each phrase appears only once. For a precise transcript or quotation, use the film as the final reference rather than relying on copied quote lists.
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Quick Recap
Best Value
- Factory sealed DVD
Rank #3
- Factory sealed DVD
#1 Best Overall
- Forrest Gump Blu-ray
- Product type: PHYSICAL MOVIE
- Brand: PARAMOUNT - UNI DIST CORP
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