- The film is one of the most well known examples where a bench is very important to a plot.
- Tom Hanks plays a person with special needs who spends most of the film sitting on a bench, telling complete strangers about the amazing events that have gone on in his life.
- The film is about how the most unexpected person can be responsible for so much.
- The bench represents the most ordinary space for strangers to be communicating, how a person you meet on a normal bench can turn out to be so extraordinary. It is the contrast of the ordinary space of the bench and the extraordinary circumstances that make the story tom hanks narrates amazing, and the scenes on the bench almost humorously ordinary.
- The film shows the diversity of people you can meet on a bench.
- Also, the fact that someone tells so much about themselves in that space to complete strangers seems sometimes odd, but is excused for the fact the 'forrest' is person with special needs.
2. Vodafone Zoozoo Ads
- The Bench is a space where you can end up being around people you don't like
- The person reading the book is on the side of the bench. keeping his books on the bench next to him. Thus blocking the seating space next to him.
- The person is disturbed when the person invades his personal space, he still attempts to ignore him for a few moments, he tries to seem like he's not paying attention, or is busy, hoping the person will move on.
- The Bench is a place for friends to talk and laugh.
- sitting (on the bench) is an act of laziness, you pay respect by getting up and standing.
- The people (Zoozoos) on the bench are loud, young, but still pay respect to their country by getting off the bench.
- The girls go from a sleeping non active space on the bench to be up and active in fear.
- The boy is active on the bench itself because his eyes are open, his back is straight, and he's tapping his hands on his knees. He's impatient.
- The boy is showing how casual and calm and happy he is by swinging his legs when on the phone.
- Note that the legs of the bench are tall, making the Zoozoos seem cute and innocent because their legs don't reach the ground.
- The girl sits in the center of the bench, allowing space for people to come up to her, she is almost a trophy in the center of the bench for the man behind. She is showing that she's proper and feminine by her closed posture.
- by sitting on the bench she is defining her purpose, i.e. waiting for the bus.
- The boy is rude when he's talking to the girl from a distance, he's talking down to her, he's objectifying her.
- She is facing away from them when she's mad, but still leaves space for the guy to come and sit.
- The boy must be timid, come down to her level (sits on the bench, note that the bus bench is short unlike the other ads), vulnerable (flowers, sitting on the edge of the bench), polite (tap her over the shoulder, come from behind) to win the girl.
- the girl moves closer to the boy, signifying her acceptance.
- note that the boy is still masculine because of his open legs, where as the girl is feminine because of her closed legs.
- The space left in between the lovers is left so that the delivery man can enter. That space is justified by the fact that the boy is doing something (thus they can't be intimate).
- had the man come on the side of the boy rather than in the center, the girl wouldn't be as shocked, because her space wouldn't get invaded.
- The bench is a place where 2 people share a happy experience.
- In the beginning they swing they're legs because they don't know what to do. Later the guys swings his legs because he's happy, the girl swings her legs because she doesn't want to show that she's sad.
- The batsman is made to sit on the bench so he can rest.
- The bench is a place where a person can help out a stranger.
- In the beginning the girl reading the book chooses to not seem bothered by the woman crying.i.e. you try and not show attention to people to be polite.
- both their bags are kept to the side, thus leaving space open for communication.
- the problem (no more tissue) is occurring in the center so that the other person can notice.
