History Heartwarming / ForrestGump

** Really, Lt. Dan's arc in the film is also a big RealitySubtext for veterans, especially those who served in Vietnam. For context, most Vietnam War depictions in film prior to ''Forrest Gump'' typically had {{DownerEnding}}s for the main characters serving in the US Army. ''Forrest Gump'' is one of the first films (and one of the few) to acknowledge the hardships & difficulties of the Veterans of the War, both during and in its aftermath, but also show that ''any'' soldier can still come to terms with their experiences and [[EarnYourHappyEnding earn his happy ending]]. This was something that resonated very well with many Real-Life Vietnam Veterans.

** Really, Lt. Dan's arc in the film is also a big RealitySubtext for veterans, especially those who served in Vietnam. For context, most Vietnam war depictions in film typically had a DownerEnding for the main characters serving in the US Army. ''Forrest Gump'' is one of the first films (and one of the few) to acknowledge the hardships & difficulties of the Veterans of the War, both during it and in its aftermath, but also show that ANY soldier can still [[EarnYourHappyEnding earn his happy ending]]. This was something that resonated very well with many Real-Life Vietnam Veterans.

* Forrest sending part of the profits from his shrimping business to Bubba's mother, ensuring that she and the rest of the family can live a better life.

* During Forrest's time in the hospital he’s confronted by Lieutenant Dan who is utterly broken by the fact he didn't die with his men, and the fact he no longer has any legs. When Lieutenant Dan is at his most vulnerable and lowest, Forrest replies to him: [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre You're still Lieutenant Dan.]] To Forrest, Lieutenant Dan's new handicap doesn't define him, and Forrest still sees him as the man worthy of his respect who led him into battle. Despite taking it really hard, Lieutenant Dan calms down, and while he’s still lost, he is at least willing to keep on living.

** Dan does jump overboard and it startles Forrest to jump up and check on him, only to find him contentedly swimming alongside the boat.

* The reason Forrest took the actions that ended up getting him the Medal of Honor: He wasn't ''trying'' to be brave, [[HeterosexualLifePartners he was just trying to find Bubba.]] Every time he came across another soldier wounded in the ambush, he'd pick him up and take him to safety, because Forrest is a decent person and it was the decent thing to do.
* During Forrest's time in the hospital he’s confronted by Lieutenant Dan who is utterly broken by the fact he didn't die with his men, and the fact he no longer has any legs. When Lieutenant Dan is at his most vulnerable and lowest, Forrest replies to him: [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre You're still Lieutenant Dan.]] To Forrest Lieutenant Dan's new handicap doesn't define him and that Forrest still sees him as the man worthy of his respect who led him into battle. Despite taking it really hard, Lieutenant Dan calms down and while he’s still lost is at least willing to keep on living.

* Lieutenant Dan defending Forrest who up until this point has only shown irritation with.

** It's a small detail but seeing Bubba's mother and siblings at Forrest and Jenny's wedding (they sit in the second and third rows on the left) showing that Forrest has kept in touch with Bubba's family.

* When Forrest first sees his son, he asks Jenny if he's like him (showing Forrest has an awareness of his intellectual disability), the face he makes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hlx2Jr-oG0 upon finding out he]] is exceptional is both heartwarming and a TearJerker. What makes this worse is this is right before Jenny [[MoodWhiplash tells Forrest she's terminally ill]].

* Forrest tells Jenny about his experiences when she is on her death bed. He talks about the beauty of nature of the places he went. The sunsets on the bayou, the starry nights in the rainforests of Vietnam, the clear mountain lake during his cross-country run, and the sunrise in the desert. He just breaks down crying when he gets to the end.

* When Forrest first sees his son, he asks Jenny if he's like him, showing Forrest has an awareness of his intellectual disability, the face he makes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hlx2Jr-oG0 upon finding out he]] is exceptional is both heartwarming and a TearJerker. What makes this worse is this is right before Jenny [[MoodWhiplash tells Forrest she's terminally ill]].

* Forrest sending part of the profits from his shrimping business to Bubba's mother, ensuring that she and the rest of the family can live an easy life.

--> '''Forrest:''' Momma always had a way of explaining things so that I could understand them.
** “Don’t ever let anybody tell you they’re better than you, Forrest. If God intended everybody to be the same, he’d have given us all braces on our legs.” Mrs Gump will ''not'' tolerate anyone making her son feel lesser than them nor will she let Forrest grow up feeling like he doesn't deserve respect.

-->'''Lieutenant Dan''': [[BerserkButton DON'T YOU EVER CALL HIM STUPID]]!!!

'''Jenny''': He's very smart. He's one of the smartest in his class.

* The ending of the movie, where Forrest sends his son off to school, having lived a very fulfilling and eventful life (which is by no means over), being a college graduate, a war veteran, a ping-pong champion, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, an ''extremely'' successful business owner, and philanthropist with a son who loves him.

* During Forrest's time in the hospital he’s confronted by Lieutenant Dan who is utterly broken by the fact he didn't die with his men, and the fact he no longer has any legs. When Lieutenant Dan is at his most vulnerable and lowest, Forrest replies to him: [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre You're still Lieutenant Dan.]] To Forrest Lieutenant Dan's new handicap doesn't define him and that Forrest still sees him as the man worthy of his respect who led him into battle. Despite taking it really hard, Lieutenant Dan calms down and while he is still lost is at least willing to keep on living.

* During Forrest's time in the hospital he is confronted by Lieutenant Dan who is utterly broken by the fact he didn't die with his men, and the fact he no longer has any legs. When Lieutenant Dan is at his most vulnerable and lowest, Forrest replies to him: [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre You're still Lieutenant Dan.]] To Forrest Lieutenant Dan's new handicap doesn't define him and that Forrest still sees him as the man worthy of his respect who led him into battle. Despite taking it really hard, Lieutenant Dan calms down and while he is still lost is at least willing to keep on living.

** “Don’t ever let anybody tell you they’re better than you, Forrest. If God intended everybody to be the same, he’d have given us all braces on our legs.”

* The drill sergeant in the movie is one of the few characters who not only doesn't look down at Forrest, but actually praises him for his efforts, albeit in a weirdly bombastic way.

* The ending of the movie, where Forrest sends his son off to school, having lived a very fulfilling and eventful life (which is by no means over), being a college graduate, a war veteran, a ping-pong champion, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, an ''extremely'' successful business owner, and philanthropist with a son who loves him.
* A small one, but Lt. Dan's being in an interracial marriage after serving in Vietnam warmed ''my'' heart.

* When Forrest first sees his son, he asks Jenny if he's like him, showing Forrest has an awareness of his intellectual disability, the face he makes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hlx2Jr-oG0 upon finding out he]] is exceptional is both heartwarming and a tearjerker, what makes this worse is this is right before Jenny [[MoodWhiplash tells Forrest she's terminally ill]]

* During Forrest's time in the hospital he is confronted by Lieutenant Dan who is utterly broken by the fact he didn't die with his men, and the fact he no longer has any legs. When Lieutenant Dan is at his most vulnerable and lowest, Forrest replies to him [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre You are still Lieutenant Dan.]] To Forrest Lieutenant Dan's new handicap doesn't define him and that Forrest still sees him as the man worthy of his respect who led him into battle. Despite taking it really hard, Lieutenant Dan calms down and while he is still lost is at least willing to keep on living.

* You notice it when the movie starts, Forrest is wearing dirty, beat-up shoes REALLY clash with his clean suit. Cue the part when Jenny returns to Forrest's house for a while and you see why: they were a gift from Jenny, and given how deeply he loved her, you can bet he wasn't going to get rid of them that easily.

* The ending of the movie, where Forrest sends his son off to school, having lived a very fulfilling and eventful life (which is by no means over), being a college graduate, a war veteran, a ping-pong champion, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, an ''extremely'' successful business owner, and philanthropist with a son who loves him.

Heartwarming moments in ''Film/ForrestGump''.

* You notice it when the movie starts, but Forrest's dirty, beat-up shoes REALLY clash with his suit. Cue the part when Jenny returns to Forrest's house for a while and you see why: they were a gift from Jenny, and given how deeply he loved her, you can bet he wasn't going to get rid of them that easily.
* The ending of the movie, where Forrest sends his son off to school, having lived a very fulfilling and eventful life (which is by no means over), being a college graduate, a war veteran, a ping-pong champion, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, an ''extremely'' successful business owner with a son who loves him.

* Doubles as a BrickJoke: When Forrest tells Dorothy Harris that they aren't strangers any more, Dorothy gives him a big smile. 30 years later, she does the same with Forrest Jr. when he introduces himself. Note she went from smoking a cigarette to chewing gum.

* Doubles as a BrickJoke: When Forrest tells Dorothy Harris that they aren't strangers any more, Dorothy gives him a big smile. 30 years later, she does the same with Forrest Jr. when he introduces himself.