What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers (WGA):

Peter Hedges (novel)
Peter Hedges (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 December 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Arnie knows a secret. His big brother Gilbert is the greatest person on the planet.

Plot:

Gilbert has care for his brother Arnie and his obese mother, which gets in the way when love walks into his life.

Plot Keywords:

Americana | Slice Of Life | Eating Disorder | Beating | Male Female Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Johnny Depp	...	Gilbert Grape
Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Arnie Grape
Juliette Lewis	...	Becky
Mary Steenburgen	...	Betty Carver
Darlene Cates	...	Bonnie Grape
Laura Harrington	...	Amy Grape
Mary Kate Schellhardt	...	Ellen Grape
Kevin Tighe	...	Ken Carver
John C. Reilly	...	Tucker Van Dyke
Crispin Glover	...	Bobby McBurney
Penelope Branning	...	Becky's Grandma
Tim Green	...	Mr. Lamson
Susan Loughran	...	Mrs. Lamson
Robert B. Hedges	...	Minister
Mark Jordan	...	Todd Carver

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #32522) | Iceland:L | France:Unrated | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Finland:K-10 | Germany:6 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

J&M Entertainment

Trivia:

Darlene Cates was chosen for the part of Bonnie Grape after a casting director contacted the "Sally Jessy Raphael" (1985) show and was sent a tape of her appearance as a guest a few months earlier.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: When Gilbert is looking at Becky through the grocery store shelves, you can see six or seven loaves of different varieties of Mrs Baird's bread, which is a Texas (not Iowa) bakery.

Quotes:

Becky: Tell me what you want as fast as it comes to you.
Gilbert: I wanna be a good person.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Academy of Robots' Choice Awards Special (1998) (TV)

The family that binds us

Truly, this is one beautiful movie. It doesn't go for cheap tears but in the end you must feel something, otherwise you simply don't have a heart. It's about a town, Endora, where nothing ever happens. In that town live the Grapes, a fatherless family that consists of a mother of elephant-like proportions, two sisters and two brothers (one of them being retarded).

All the acting ranks from very good to excellent. Johnny Depp is so lovable as Gilbert Grape, the twenty-year-old son who tries to do good for everyone but doesn't know quite what he wants for himself yet. Leonardo DiCaprio is simply amazing as the retarded Arnie. He rightfully got an Oscar-nomination for his roll. At the time I saw this movie, I didn't know him yet, so at some moments I actually thought that he really could be a retarded actor (that's a big complement, isn't it?).

The plot isn't too spectacular, but keeps you interested 'cause actually a lot of things do happen to certain character's in this sleepy town. A lot of things the characters say and do seem superficial, but actually aren't meaningless as they lead to other events in the story. And the arrival of Becky (Juliette Lewis) and her mother make things interesting for Gilbert. The ending is unexpected, very solid and sad. And then there's the little epilogue...

This simply is a great movie: Good story, good acting, good directing. And that's all it takes. Watch it and allow yourselves to be moved by the Grapes.