What's Eating Gilbert Grape?This is one of the few movies I can stand Leonardo DiCaprio in, 'cause to be honest, he gives an amazing performance here, and so young at the time too. Also this was the movie that introduced me to John C. Reily (who has a small part as Gilbert's friend). And of course, Deppo does a great job, as always.
Jonny Depp plays, Gilbert Grape, a young, aimless man who feels trapped by his dysfunctional family, and places the blame on himself for their outcome. Describing his morbidly obese mother as a "beached whale", and constantly having to baby-sit his mentally-disabled brother, Arnie(Leo), who loves to climb the local water tower against the police's warnings, Gilbert loves them too much too leave. With everyone's excitement over Arnie's upcoming 18th birthday (Arnie wasn't expected to live this long), Gilbert faces internal grief over where his family's and his future lies. But he'll get his answer in a young woman (Juliette Lewis) who happens by chance upon his lifeless town, and she'll teach him who he never knew he was, and show him the freedom he never knew he had.
It's depressing as often as it's charming; funny as often as it's sad (there is a lot of funny parts actually), but it ultimately carries a hopeful message and a lesson on what's important in life that anyone can relate to.
Another one of my favorite 90s flicks.
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