What Disabilities Does Forrest Gump Have? (2024)

Most people who have watched the movie Forrest Gump can tell the titular character is not neurotypical. While both the author of the 1986 novel, Winston Groom, and Robert Zemeckis, the director of the 1994 movie, say Gump has no specific diagnosis, that hasn't stopped speculation.

Most of the information available online is conjecture by fans who relate to Gump in some way, although some professionals have tried their hand at a diagnosis. However, the consensus is that Gump has at least two conditions. While the acclaimed Forrest Gump might not be a 1:1 representation of these conditions, the movie is an interesting and strangely mainstream look at someone who isn't neurotypical.

Updated by Timothy Blake Donohoo on May 7, 2024: Forrest Gump is a beloved movie to many, though it also raises several questions about the main character. The truth concerning Forrest Gump's disability has eluded viewers for decades now, with many believing that Forrest Gump had autism. There's evidence for this, among other issues, that the character had, but the exact Forrest Gump condition in the movie is still mostly unknown. This reflects the fact that it was merely a colorful and inspired movie, namely one that was produced in a different time period.

Was Forrest Gump Autistic?

First, Gump likely falls somewhere on the Autism Spectrum. In fact, in a paper published in 1996 by Dr. Shinji Ijichi, M.D. and Dr. Naomi Ijichi, M.D., Forrest Gump has that very diagnosis based on information gleaned from Groom's novel. They specifically looked at Groom's descriptions of Gump's interactions with his world and other people, comparing those to the DSM-IV criterion for a medical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, ASD. They concluded that Gump meets the requirements.

Gump having autism is a more straightforward conclusion to reach, especially since Gump himself narrates the book and movie. This immerses the audience in his unique point of view. To many familiar with ASD or diagnosed with it, Gump's habits and outlooks hit close to home. Two of the most glaring examples are his awkwardness with social interaction and his total focus on a single task.

Many people with ASD exhibit the same focus Gump gives his drill instructor, ping pong, shrimping, and running. Once taken with a task, they can be quite single-minded. Likewise, Forrest Gump repeatedly has trouble understanding the social cues of the people and situations around him, starting early in his childhood. For example, when he misses little Jenny's distress and apparent abuse by completely misunderstanding the appropriateness of her father's actions toward his daughters.

What Was Wrong With Forrest Gump's Legs?

The second condition involves Gump's need for leg braces as a child. The two leading theories suggest Gump had either a mild case of cerebral palsy or polio. Unfortunately for curious fans, the need for Gump's leg braces remains officially undiagnosed. However, Forrest himself explains early on in the story that he was born with very strong legs, but his spine was a little crooked, suggesting he may have had mild scoliosis. Along with his mental and social differences, it was a good way to create a diverse movie hero when such a concept wasn't exactly common.

Forrest Gump Explores History Through A Neurodivergent Lens

Some critics claimed that Forrest Gump was political or carried a conservative agenda and, as a result, discounted the seriousness of many of the events and movements portrayed in the film. Producer Steve Tisch said, "Forrest Gump isn't about politics or conservative values. It's about humanity," while giving his Academy Award acceptance speech. Actor Tom Hanks, who played Forrest Gump, agreed, telling Jeff Saporito in an interview that "the film is nonpolitical and thus nonjudgmental."

The counterargument is that if a movie is going to show important points in history, including significant and politically charged events, then it, by nature, becomes a political beast, leaning whichever way the movie's lens focuses on the events. Since many key happenings of the '60s and '70s become a bit of a joke once Gump inserts himself and his naïveté into the middle, critics quickly asserted that this was a dismissal of all social importance.

However, if one were to consider that the movie's narrator holds a neurodivergent perception of life, Gump's interactions take on a whole new brilliance. By nature, Forrest Gump wouldn't connect to or understand the emotional drives of those swirling around him in their frenzy of change. He would naturally gravitate toward and cling to those situations and concepts which were most familiar to him. So, rather than being dismissive, the plot becomes a statement of how the world can see around individuals like Forrest Gump, sweeping them along for the ride without them connecting in the way others would expect or prefer. This isn't something to take offense to, but rather to embrace as a unique view, especially given what Forrest Gump's disability may be.

When Groom published his book in 1986, ASD was still largely conceptual. Thorough research into the condition was a thing of the future. So, it's unlikely Groom had a specific medical diagnosis in mind when he wrote Gump's character. Likewise, when Zemeckis put Gump on the big screen, ASD still wasn't being broadly applied as a diagnosis and was even less understood by the public. Between the two creative minds, putting a main character with a different viewpoint for the public to see was itself a gift. Such a dramatic direction wasn't common during this era, and it paved the way for similarly dramatic, sad films and TV shows to be made in the future.

Forrest Gump's Quality Makes It Perfect For All Viewers

While the depiction might not be completely accurate, Forrest Gump gives neurodivergent people a hero with whom to identify. Gump wasn't written as a side character or a running joke. While his exploits lean toward the ridiculous, he overcomes and succeeds despite the biases of those around him. In doing so, he becomes a defiant example of human perseverance, in spite of whatever diagnosis he might have. It helps that he's also someone from a small town and has humble means, increasing his relatability. If anything, the lack of a concrete Forrest Gump diagnosis means that anyone can identify with him and see him as an admirable character.

Regardless of how one interprets the movie's events, a single significant fact remains: while the movie is based on a book, Forrest Gump is a work of fiction that doesn't take itself entirely seriously. Instead, Forrest Gump should be enjoyed for what it is, a ride through the good times and bad with a lovable and likely autistic man. Take what pleasures the movie offers and just maybe relate to the struggles facing a neurodivergent individual. After all, Forrest Gump is a story about the human journey, and it holds plenty to resonate with us all. This is why the movie has continued to be so acclaimed over the years among various groups of people.

Forrest Gump

PG-13

Historical

Romance

The history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.

Director

Robert Zemeckis

Release Date

July 6, 1994

Studio

Paramount Pictures

Cast

Tom Hanks , Robin Wright , Gary Sinise , Sally Field , Sam Anderson

Writers

Eric Roth , Winston Groom

Runtime

2 hours 22 minutes

Main Genre

Drama

Box Office

$678.2 million

Production Company

Paramount Pictures, The Steve Tisch Company, Wendy Finerman Productions

Budget

$55 million