The book has charm, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the movie. It really makes you notice every bit of how ridiculous and contrived Forrest's life story is.

The movie might just be the best adaption of a novel that was ever made. It does an incredible job of portraying these events as something that just -might- be remotely plausible, and keeping you entertained enough that you don't stop and think about it. They knew exactly what to get rid of (astronauts and cannibals were so unnecessary), and exactly what changes to make to Lt. Dan and Jenny to complete their stories in a more satisfying way.

If you hired 100 other filmmakers to adapt that book into a movie back in 1994, I doubt any of them could have made a movie that turned nearly this well.