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‘Forrest Gump’ With Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey

June 21, 2018 · Forrest Gump (1994) · Drama · Romance · 1:08:43

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 21:45Vietnam Rally scene
Sean Fennessey▶ 22:07Vietnam Rally scene

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 26:29The redemption of Lieutenant Dan - his character arc and Gary Sinise's performance
Sean Fennessey▶ 26:45Gary Sinise's performance as Lieutenant Dan

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 33:59Harry Anderson — Lists extensive casting what-ifs: Harry Anderson was first choice for Forrest, Bill Murray/John Travolta/Chevy Chase turned it down, David Alan Greer/Dave Chappelle/Ice Cube turned down Bubba, Tupac auditioned for Bubba, Jodie Foster/Nicole Kidman/Demi Moore turned down Jenny, Terry Gilliam/Barry Sonnenfield turned down directing
Sean Fennessey▶ 34:21Harry Anderson — Reacts to the what-ifs, noting Harry Anderson wasn't famous enough, Ice Cube was too smart for Bubba, Terry Gilliam would have been an amazing but very different version, and Bill Murray doesn't work for the role

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 37:05Dick Cavett — Initially suggests Michael T. Williamson, Sally Field, and Haley Jo Osmond, then agrees Dick Cavett wins if aging yourself backwards
Sean Fennessey▶ 37:21Dick Cavett — Dick Cavett aging himself back 20 years

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 38:16Gary Sinise — Initially said there wasn't a Joey Pants/that guy in the movie, but eventually agreed to give it to Gary Sinise after discussion
Sean Fennessey▶ 38:15Gary Sinise — Gary Sinise - argued he might have been 'that guy' since he hadn't done much in movies before this, despite being known in Chicago theater

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 39:54Shared multiple trivia facts including Jenny's birthdate matching Trinity Test, running scene inspiration, park bench location, Warner Brothers trade, deleted MLK scene, Nike Cortez shoes, and six Doors songs used
Sean Fennessey▶ 40:57Added Kurt Russell doing Elvis voice, commented on various trivia facts, and criticized Zemeckis for obvious musical choices in Vietnam scenes

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 43:34Tom Hanks — Tom Hanks - yes, this is his Apex Mountain due to back-to-back Oscars and becoming the alpha dog in Hollywood
Bill Simmons▶ 44:46Gary Sinise — Gary Sinise - uncertain, mentions CSI New York but not sure if this tops it
Bill Simmons▶ 45:21Robert Zemeckis — Robert Zemeckis - agrees, Back to the Future
Bill Simmons▶ 46:04Robin Wright — Robin Wright - yes, this is her career Apex
Bill Simmons▶ 46:10Mykelti Williamson — Michael T. Williamson - absolutely yes
Sean Fennessey▶ 44:31Tom Hanks — Tom Hanks - agrees this is probably his most iconic performance and Apex Mountain
Sean Fennessey▶ 45:13Gary Sinise — Gary Sinise - yes, this is definitely Apex Mountain
Sean Fennessey▶ 45:15Robert Zemeckis — Robert Zemeckis - no, Back to the Future is his Apex Mountain
Sean Fennessey▶ 45:55Robin Wright — Robin Wright - yes, her most complete performance with the most to do

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 56:04Lists multiple quotes including 'Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get' (which he calls the signature quote), 'Bet that never happened in home ec', 'Forrest, you don't know what love is', 'Sorry I had a fight at your Black Panther rally', 'Stupid is as stupid does', and 'I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is'
Sean Fennessey▶ 56:36Agrees that 'Life is like a box of chocolates' is the signature quote but notes that pop culture made it too much of a cliche instantaneously

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:53Tom Hanks — Tom Hanks - 'There's no other answer'

Picking Nits

Sean Fennessey▶ 1:05:02Tom Hanks breaks character and uses his normal voice when saying 'Done drill sergeant!' during the gun assembly scene in boot camp

Movies Referenced (43)

Back to the Future (1985)

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 27:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pulp Fiction (1994)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rain Man (1988)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 2:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Executive Decision (1996)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 41:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Philadelphia (1993)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 4:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Apollo 13 (1995)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 4:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Black Panther (2018)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 47:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cast Away (2000)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 43:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jaws (1975)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 23:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

My Left Foot (1989)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 2:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Quiz Show (1994)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 11:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (8)

Robert Zemeckis

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Contact▶ 12:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Quentin Tarantino

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn▶ 12:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Krzysztof Kieslowski

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 13:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Woody Allen

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Annie Hall, Deconstructing Harry▶ 6:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jacob Hair

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 9:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Carpenter

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Dark Star, Halloween▶ 41:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Luther King

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 41:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spike Lee

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 15:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (56)

Tom Hanks

33 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump▶ 3:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robin Wright

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Forrest Gump, Unbreakable▶ 9:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gary Sinise

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Forrest Gump, Of Mice and Men, Apollo 13▶ 26:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Elvis Presley

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 17:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny Trejo

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Machete, From Dusk Till Dawn, Predators▶ 46:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dave Chappelle

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for A Star Is Born▶ 34:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robin Williams

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Mrs. Doubtfire▶ 1:04:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sally Field

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Lincoln, Forrest Gump, Steel Magnolias▶ 8:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harry Anderson

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 33:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jim Hanks

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Forrest Gump▶ 38:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brad Pitt

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Fight Club, 12 Monkeys, Mr. & Mrs. Smith▶ 1:06:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dick Cavett

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Beetlejuice, Forrest Gump▶ 17:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (8)

David Letterman

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 5:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eric Roth

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Forrest Gump, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button▶ 38:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Darabont

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Mist▶ 12:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 10:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Winston Groom

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Forrest Gump, My Dog Skip▶ 38:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Lucas

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, THX 1138, American Graffiti▶ 27:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stephen King

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Maximum Overdrive▶ 12:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Goldman

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride▶ 9:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗