Date: 1993
Director: Lasse Hallström
Actors/ Characters: Johnny Depp/ Gilbert Grape, Leonardo DiCaprio/Arnie Grape, Juliette Lewis/ Becky, Mary Steenburgen/Betty Carver, Darlene Cates/ Bonnie Grape, Laura Harrington/ Amy Grace,Mary Kate Schellhardt/ Ellen Grape
Summary: After his father's death, Gilbert has to care for his mentally disabled brother, Arnie, and his morbidly obese mother, which is suddenly challenged when love walks into his life.
Review
This film absolutely blew me away. I did not have any expectations prior to watching this film and I was thoroughly surprised and impressed with it. The messages and themes of the film were poignant and deeply moving and although the actual narrative was fairly simple the issues explored were intense and perturbing.
What first struck me about this film was the excellency of the cast. Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio were just starting in their acting careers when this film was produced but already the talent and skill in both actors is evident and their performances are just as good as expected.
I was particularly blown away with DiCaprio's performance as Arnie, this was an extremely difficult role to execute since Arnie was a 18 year old boy with severe special needs however DiCaprio handled the role gracefully and emotively. I loved Arnie's role within the film and how Hallström handled the issue of disability. I have an autistic younger brother and misconceptions of special needs within film and television greatly upsets me however What's Eating Gilbert Grape? dealt with the topic in a tasteful manner and in a way that the disability was relevant to the plot. The narrative was greatly enhanced by Arnie's character and the familial tensions created through his disability were highly effective in reflecting real life for a family including a person with special needs.
The Grape family dynamic was one I really enjoyed watching. This was the story of a family struggling in every sense of the word. Physically, because of the crumbling family home and the severe obesity of the mother. Emotionally, because of the death/ loss of the father and the stresses and worries associated with Arnie's condition. Financially, Endora is a neglected and unprivileged town where employment is low and corporate companies threaten to shut local businesses, the Grapes struggle to manage finances following the death of their father and the rapid weight gain of their mother. The issues and struggles of the Grapes were all extremely important and I enjoyed that a film explored them. The sheer amount of downfalls in the film created a highly realistic product and made it really relatable to watch.
The film explored a range of emotions, I went from feeling triumphant and elated to hopeless and depressed however I loved that element of the film because it made it more believable and realistic. This constant shift in mood reflected the reality of the everyday. I especially noticed this emotional upheaval during the birthday party sequence. I began feeling extremely content that the Grapes were finally at harmony with one another and Arnie had lived to be 18 unlike the doctors predicted. However, I was completely devastated when Bonnie died and then was unable to be taken out of the house without the use of a crane so the children burned the house to the ground. In a strange way the house being burned was a highly cathartic moment for me as it symbolised the release of the children from their domesticated and monotonous lives and gave them a chance to explore new places and opportunities.
Gilbert and Arnie's relationship was really enjoyable to watch. Their performances were highly genuine and believable and I thoroughly enjoyed their scenes together.
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