In Forrest Gump, what does Forrest compare life to when he says you never know what you are going to get?

In Forrest Gump, Forrest compares life to a box of chocolates because you never know what you are going to get.

Tom Hanks delivers the line as Forrest Gump while sitting on a bench and recounting his life story to strangers. The comparison comes from his mother, who uses the unpredictability of assorted chocolates as a simple way to explain the uncertainty of life.

The quote is often shortened to “Life is like a box of chocolates,” but the complete idea includes the observation that the contents are unknown until a chocolate is chosen. The line became the film’s defining summary of chance, fate, and unexpected experiences.

Forrest Gump was released in 1994 and directed by Robert Zemeckis. It was adapted from Winston Groom’s 1986 novel, though the film changes many details and presents a more sentimental version of Forrest’s journey.