What Is Eating Gilbert Grape is a widely acclaimed 1993 American drama film directed by Lasse Hallstrom. Starring Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, and Leonardo DiCaprio in his breakthrough role, the movie depicts the life of a small-town family struggling with various challenges.
Netflix has added What’s Eating Gilbert Grape to its roster of movies available for streaming. Here’s everything that you need to know about this iconic film before you sit down to watch it again (or maybe even for the first time).
The Plot
What Is Eating Gilbert Grape follows the life of street smart but emotionally distant Gilbert Grape as he tries to keep his dysfunctional family together while also dealing with personal frustrations and aspirations. His father committed suicide years earlier, leaving him to care for his obese mother Bonnie and developmentally disabled younger brother Arnie who will turn eighteen soon.
Tired of being stuck in their dead-end Iowa town – Endora – and balancing all aspects of adult life including caring for his siblings whilst trying support himself financially; work at local grocery store Lamson’s Grocery lead by unkind manager Ray Carver played by Crispin Glover. Throughout the course of the story, we see how these individuals struggle in their day-to-day lives while attempting to move forward within society.
Gilbert finds himself entangled in a relationship with Becky (Juliette Lewis), an energetic free-spirited girl looking for adventure after they share some heartfelt conversations on top her camper van roof that parked outside Lamson’s Grocery since her caravan broke down near their town endora(based on The Midwest). With Becky having planned only one night stopover initially- extends her stay due develop unexpected feelings towards glibert , forces him into making critical decisions about taking responsibility not just for himself but those he loves too which ultimately propel him towards pivotal change.
Arnie Who Portrays Troubled Innocence
Arnie is undoubtedly one of DiCaprio’s most memorable roles, his portrayal of a developmentally disabled teenager is both innocent yet tragic. Every time he forgets where he is or gets lost in his imagination, you feel Gilbert’s irritation and agony.
However, Arnie’s disability doesn’t hinder him from finding innocent joy out of life and taking risks like climbing tall water towers and dancing on the roof with Becky which ultimately leads to the saddest scene in the movie; after being caught by local police named Albert Grape ends up having an episode that results in trying to diffusing situation leading to death circumstance making family confront reality but also personal issues they’ve been avoiding throughout years
The Performances
Johnny Depp gives one of his best performances as Gilbert Grape. His character holds together the fragile family unit while atoning for the neglect that led to his father’s suicide. He does this with a quiet grace that only occasionally slips into resentment.
Despite not initially favoured by author Peter Hedges who wrote novel basis movie adaptation based after seeing DiCaprio perform at school, Leo portrayed Arnie perfectly capturing nuanced ache within such complex role – ultimately becoming big break leading solidifying high profile roles later life.
Juliette Lewis played Becky Butterman excellently as well providing depth to her written smooth talking hippy charm although perhaps lacking intent storyline meant for her compared co stars Johnny Dep & Leonardo Di’caprio whose characters arcs are more centralize & complicated
Production Design
Another crucial aspect What Is Eating Gilbert Grape’s success was its terrific production design – every detail about Endora felt authentic since it was shot primarily on location rather than sets’. The decaying town feels tangible through Lasse Hallström’s direction displaying haunting stillness beautifully photographed by cinematographer Sven Nyqvist., Adding long shots of empty roads and buildings only emphasising key themes present through movement- stagnancy contrasted instability.
Conclusion
What Is Eating Gilbert Grape is undoubtedly a timeless classic. It’s a tale of love and sacrifice, a story of personal struggle and familial obligation. The film’s actors all delivered outstanding performances, which are made more powerful by the film’s production design.
Watching What Is Eating Gilbert Grape today will transport you back to that quaint little town in Iowa where everyone is living their own version of the American Dream – or at least trying to. If there’s anything this movie leaves us with, it’s an appreciation for those who keep family together despite multiple complications life throws at them- even if they aren’t perfect heroes garnering admiration from viewers nonethelessly through raw honesty portrayed on screen .
What Is Eating Gilbert Grape is a 1993 American drama film that has achieved widespread acclaim over the years. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom, the movie features an all-star cast including Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, and Leonardo DiCaprio in his breakthrough role. The story revolves around Gilbert Grape, a street-smart but emotionally distant young man who struggles to keep his dysfunctional family together while coping with personal frustrations and aspirations.
The film takes place in Endora – a small Iowa town where life seems to be at a standstill. Years earlier, Gilbert’s father committed suicide leaving him as the primary caregiver for his obese mother Bonnie and developmentally disabled younger brother Arnie who is about to turn eighteen soon. Balancing various aspects of adult life while caring for his siblings proves challenging; working at local grocery store Lamson’s Grocery lead by unkind manager Ray Carver played by Crispin Glover doesn’t help matters either.
Despite being tired of living in their dead-end hometown, the characters struggle through their day-to-day lives as they attempt to move forward within society’s constraints. During this journey we see Gilbert become entangled with Becky (Juliette Lewis) an energetic free-spirited girl looking for adventure passing through town whose presence forces him into making critical decisions which ultimately propel him towards pivotal change.
Arnie shines as one of DIcaprio’s most memorable roles portraying troubled innocence because every time he forgets where he is or gets lost in his imagination viewers feel Gilbert’s irritation and agony along with him yet are moved by Arnie’s pure joy out of life despite set backs presented throughout narrative .
Johnny Depp delivers one of his best performances seamlessly holding together fragile family unit whilst trying make amends sins neglectful past . Meanwhile DiCaprio displays perfect nuance , capturing the ache within a complex role of brooding character contrasting against undeniably lively energy emanating from each aspect conveyed during runtime.
Another key to What Is Eating Gilbert Grape’s success is its impeccable production design. The decaying town feels tangible through Lasse Hallström’s direction showcasing stillness against vibrant moments, beautifully photographed by cinematographer Sven Nykvist and adding long shots of empty roads which only emphasize the key themes presented, movement- stagnancy contrasted instability more so in harmonious manner than opposing disconnect thanks intricately displayed artistry exhibited on outlay .
In conclusion, What Is Eating Gilbert Grape is a timeless classic that continues to be celebrated today. It explores themes of love and sacrifice while highlighting both personal struggles as well as familial obligations. With an all-star cast delivering outstanding performances matched perfectly with Hallstrom’s effervescent directing style, there are countless reasons why this film remains such a beloved classic years after its initial release. Watching it again will transport you back in time to that quaint little Iowa town where everyone was trying their best despite life’s multiple setbacks—making for a truly unforgettable cinematic experience.