Forrest Gump is a low-intelligence man who has good intentions. He struggles through childhood with his best and only friend Jenny. His mama teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. Forrest joins the army and heads off to Vietnam where he becomes friends with Dan and Bubba. He wins medals, starts a table tennis craze, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, create the smiley, writes bumper stickers and songs, and meets the president several times. However this has little meaning to Forrest, as he can only think of his childhood sweetheart Jenny. In the end, all he wants to prove is that anyone can love anyone.

A sweet natured man with an IQ of 70 personally experiences all of the important events of three decades of American life.