Well, if you are in the mood for a hollow "feel good movie" this will fit the bill. But if you are looking for substance, or a film that makes you think, this film will leave you knowing you can never get the time back you just spent watching this movie. The soundtrack probably causes movie-goers to connect to the film more than the flimsy plot.

At the time this film was released, Hanks was perhaps the most sought after leading man. In some ways, it is as though the studios were on a quest to turn him into his generation's Jimmy Stewart. Hanks is a solid actor, and has acted in many excellent roles, but this is not one of them. But this film certainly helped launch the "Bubba Gump Shrimp Company Restaurant" found at tourist traps all across the United States. In many ways, that is this film's legacy - made for theater tourist looking for a vacation for the mind.