What's Eating Gilbert Grape

In the small town of Endora, Iowa, Gilbert Grape is busy caring for Arnie, his mentally disabled younger brother who is about to turn 18, as they wait for the many tourists' trailers to pass through town during an annual Airstreamers' Club gathering at a nearby recreational area. His father had lost his business or money seventeen years earlier and committed suicide two years after. Since then, his mother, Bonnie, has spent most of her days on the couch watching television and eating. With Bonnie's obesity leaving her unable to care for her children on her own, Gilbert has taken responsibility for repairing the old house that his father built and being protective of Arnie, who has a habit of climbing the town's water tower, as well as trees, while his sisters, Amy and Ellen, do the other housework. Gilbert had an older brother named Larry who moved away some years ago. A new FoodLand supermarket has opened, threatening the small Lamson's Grocery where Gilbert works.

Gilbert is having an affair with a married woman to whom he delivers groceries. When her husband finds out, there's a horrible scene involving Gilbert, the man's children, and their wading pool. The husband later dies from a heart attack and drowning in the wading pool.

A young woman named Becky and her grandmother are stuck in town when the International Harvester Travelall pulling their trailer breaks down. Gilbert's unusual life circumstances threaten to get in the way of their budding romance. To spend time with Becky to watch the sunset, Gilbert leaves Arnie alone in the bath. He returns home late and finds Arnie still in the bath the following morning, shivering in the now-cold water; his guilt is compounded by his family's anger and Arnie's subsequent aquaphobia. Becky becomes close to both Gilbert and Arnie. While they are distracted during one of their talks, Arnie returns to the water tower that he is always trying to climb. Arnie is arrested after being rescued from the top of the tower, causing Bonnie — who has not left the house in more than seven years — to become the laughing stock of the town as she goes to the police station, forcing Arnie's release.

Soon, Arnie ruins two birthday cakes: the first, when he runs into Amy and she drops the cake she has lovingly made; and the second, a replacement from FoodLand, which he dips his fingers in to, having found it in the refrigerator. Arnie tries to run away from his bath, and in his frustration, Gilbert finally snaps, hitting Arnie several times. Guilty and appalled at himself, Gilbert flees, driving away in his truck. Arnie also runs to Becky, who takes care of him for the evening, and helps him overcome his aquaphobia, until he is picked up by his sisters. After some soul-searching, aided by Becky, Gilbert returns home during Arnie's 18th birthday party to make amends to his family for running out, and to receive Arnie's reluctant forgiveness. He also apologizes to his mother for his behavior, and vows not to be ashamed of her or let her be hurt anymore. She acknowledges how much of a burden that she has become to the family, and he forgives her. Gilbert also introduces Bonnie to Becky, something he had been reluctant to do.

Following the party, Bonnie climbs the stairs to her bedroom for the first time since her husband's suicide. Arnie tries to wake her, but discovers that she has died. With no way to remove her body from the second floor, the police make plans to return with a crane the next day. The family instinctively knows that there will be a crowd of people there to get a laugh, instead of paying their respects. Wanting to keep her death from becoming a mockery, the family removes the furniture and belongings from the house, and Gilbert sets the house ablaze with Bonnie still inside as a funeral pyre.

A year later, Amy gets a job managing a bakery in the Des Moines area, while Ellen looks forward to switching schools and living in a bigger city. Gilbert waits by the side of the road with Arnie, whose 19th birthday is coming up, waiting for the tourist trailers to come again. As part of the convoy, Becky arrives with her grandmother and picks them both up. Gilbert tells Arnie, "We can go anywhere."

{{cast listing|

• Johnny Depp as Gilbert Grape
• Leonardo DiCaprio as Arnold "Arnie" Grape
• Juliette Lewis as Rebecca "Becky"
• Darlene Cates as Bonnie Grape
• Laura Harrington as Amy Grape
• Mary Kate Schellhardt as Ellen Grape
• Kevin Tighe as Kenneth "Ken" Carver
• Mary Steenburgen as Betty Carver
• John C. Reilly as Tucker Van Dyke
• Crispin Glover as Robert "Bobby" McBurney
• Penelope Branning as Becky's Grandma
• Libby Villari as the Waitress{{cite web|url= https://catalog.afi.com/Film/59706-WHATS-EATINGGILBERTGRAPE|publisher=American Film Institute|title=What's Eating Gilbert Grape|access-date=May 12, 2021}}

}}

Filming for What's Eating Gilbert Grape began November 2, 1992, and concluded in late January 1993. It was shot in Texas, in various towns and cities; Austin and Pflugerville were primary locations, as well as Manor, where the water tower featured in the film was located.{{cite web|url=http://www.slackerwood.com/node/2628|work=Slackerwood|title=Lone Star Cinema: What's Eating Gilbert Grape|date=December 13, 2011|access-date=January 11, 2016|last=Clinchy |first=Don}} Christian Bale was up for the part of Arnie, but lost to DiCaprio.{{cite web|author-first1=Cassidy|author-last1=Stephenson|url=https://www.cbr.com/christian-bale-leonardo-dicaprio-movie-nemesis-explained/ | title=Why Christian Bale Declared Leonardo DiCaprio His Nemesis | date=21 May 2022 |website=www.cbr.com}}

Film Review quoted actor Leonardo DiCaprio:

{{blockquote|I had to really research and get into the mind of somebody with a disability like that. So I spent a few days at a home for mentally ill teens. We just talked and I watched their mannerisms. People have these expectations that mentally retarded children are really crazy, but it's not so. It's refreshing to see them because everything's so new to them.}}

File:Leonardo DiCaprio.jpeg's performance received widespread critical acclaim, garnering the then-19-year-old a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, making him the seventh-youngest Best Supporting Actor nominee.]]

The film had a limited release December 17, 1993, and wide release March 4, 1994.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl827622913/weekend/|title=What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) - Weekend Box Office Results|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=2008-12-30}} The wide release garnered $2,104,938 in its first weekend. It was considered a box-office bomb, with the total domestic gross for the film of $10,032,765, although it achieved greater success on home video.{{cite news|url=https://littlethings.com/lifestyle/whats-eating-gilbert-grape|title=10 Surprising Facts About 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape'|first=Grace|last=Eire|website=littlethings.com|date=July 18, 2017|accessdate=March 24, 2023}}

The film received positive reviews, with many critics praising the performances by Depp, DiCaprio, and Cates. The latter was singled out for his performance in the film, many saying that DiCaprio stole the film from the lead actor, Depp. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film was given a 90% score, and an average rating of 7.40/10, based on 50 reviews. The site's consensus states: "It's sentimental and somewhat predictable, but those are small complaints, given the tender atmosphere and moving performances at the heart of What's Eating Gilbert Grape."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/whats_eating_gilbert_grape/|title=What's Eating Gilbert Grape Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=April 10, 2021}} Metacritic calculated an average score of 73 out of 100, based on 20 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web |title=What's Eating Gilbert Grape Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/whats-eating-gilbert-grape |access-date=February 28, 2022 |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive}}

The New York Times film critic, Janet Maslin, praised DiCaprio's performance, writing, "The film's real show-stopping turn comes from Mr. DiCaprio, who makes Arnie's many tics so startling and vivid that at first he is difficult to watch... The performance has a sharp, desperate intensity from beginning to end."{{cite news|url=http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F0CE0D61631F934A25751C1A965958260|title=Movie Review: What's Eating Gilbert Grape|last=Maslin|first=Janet|date=1993-12-17|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=2008-12-30}}

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times described it as "one of the most enchanting films of the year," and said that DiCaprio deserved to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for which he was nominated.{{cite web|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=1994-03-04|title=What's Eating Gilbert Grape|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/whats-eating-gilbert-grape-1994|access-date=2021-08-23|website=Roger Ebert|publisher=rogerebert.com}}

Todd McCarthy of Variety found the film a "bemused view on life", and remarked that "Depp manages to command center screen with a greatly affable, appealing characterization."{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/1993/film/reviews/what-s-eating-gilbert-grape-1200434881/|title=What's Eating Gilbert Grape Review|last=McCarthy|first=Todd|date=1993-12-05|magazine=Variety|access-date=2008-12-30}}

The Washington Post{{'}}s Desson Howe thought that the film was an earnest but highly predictable effort.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/whatseatinggilbertgrapepg13howe_a0b036.htm|title=What's Eating Gilbert Grape|last=Howe|first=Desson|date=1994-03-04|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2008-12-30}}

Film Review praised Leonardo DiCaprio as the mentally disabled brother, calling it "a performance of astonishing innocence and spontaneity," bringing "a touching credibility to a very difficult part."{{Cite book|last1=Cameron-Wilson|first1=James|last2=Speed|first2=F. Maurice|title=Film Review 1994-5|year=1994|publisher=Virgin Books|location=Great Britain|isbn=0-86369-842-5|page=148}}

• 2nd – David Elliott, The San Diego Union-Tribune{{cite news|last=Elliott|first=David|date=December 25, 1994|title=On the big screen, color it a satisfying time|newspaper=The San Diego Union-Tribune|edition=1, 2|page=E=8}}
• 4th – Dan Craft, The Pantagraph{{cite news|last=Craft|first=Dan|date=December 30, 1994 |title=Success, Failure and a Lot of In-between; Movies '94|newspaper=The Pantagraph|page=B1}}
• 7th – Stephen Hunter, The Baltimore Sun{{cite web|last=Hunter|first=Stephen|date=December 25, 1994|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-12-25-1994359091-story.html|title=Films worthy of the title 'best' in short supply MOVIES|work=The Baltimore Sun|access-date=July 19, 2020}}
• Honorable mention – Duane Dudek, Milwaukee Sentinel{{cite news|last=Dudek|first=Duane|date=December 30, 1994|title=1994 was a year of slim pickings|work=Milwaukee Sentinel|page=3}}
• Honorable mention – Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times{{cite news|last=Persall|first=Steve|date=December 30, 1994|title=Fiction': The art of filmmaking|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|page=8|edition=City}}
• Honorable mention – Bob Carlton, The Birmingham News{{cite news|last=Carlton|first=Bob|date=December 29, 1994|title=It Was a Good Year at Movies|work=The Birmingham News|page=12-01}}

The film was released as a "special collector's edition" DVD from Paramount June 20, 2006.{{cite web |last1=Holleran |first1=Scott |title=Close-Up: Lasse Hallstrom on 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed3396862980/ |date=June 16, 2006 |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=5 September 2023}} The edition includes an audio commentary track by director Lasse Hallström and writer Peter Hedges, as well as the featurettes, "The Characters of Gilbert Grape", "The Voice of Gilbert Grape" and "Why We Love Gilbert Grape".

It received a Blu-ray release August 16, 2022.{{cite web |title=What's Eating Gilbert Grape Blu-ray |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed3396862980/ |website=blu-ray.com |access-date=5 September 2023}}

• List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees – Youngest nominees for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
• 66th Academy Awards
• 51st Golden Globe Awards
• 65th National Board of Review Awards
• 6th Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
• 19th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
• 1993 in film

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Wikiquote|What's Eating Gilbert Grape?}}

• {{IMDb title|0108550}}

{{Lasse Hallström}}

{{Peter Hedges}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1993 films

Category:1993 drama films

Category:1990s coming-of-age drama films

Category:American coming-of-age drama films

Category:1990s English-language films

Category:Films about brothers

Category:Films about single parent families

Category:Films about dysfunctional families

Category:Films about grief

Category:Films about intellectual disability

Category:Films about obesity

Category:Films about siblings

Category:Films based on American novels

Category:Films based on romance novels

Category:Films directed by Lasse Hallström

Category:Films scored by Alan Parker (musician)

Category:Films scored by Björn Isfält

Category:Films set in Iowa

Category:Films shot in Texas

Category:Films about mother–son relationships

Category:Paramount Pictures films

Category:1990s American films

Category:Films about disability in the United States