What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? (1993)

Directed by: Lasse Hallström | 118 minutes | drama, comedy, romance | Actors: Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juliette Lewis, Mary Steenburgen, Darlene Cates, Laura Harrington, Mary Kate Schellhardt, Kevin Tighe, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover

Some film buffs know Lasse Hallström mainly as the director of sugary sweet films like ‘Chocolat’ (2000), ‘The Cider House Rules’ (1999) and ‘The Shipping News’ (2001), but there was once a time when the Swedish director very different kind of cinema. Movies straight from the heart, sincere and pure. That was mainly before Hollywood started pulling at him, with Mitt Liv Som Hund (“My Life As A Dog” (1985)) being the absolute highlight. ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ is still quite in line with Hallström’s earlier work. The film breathes a somewhat surreal atmosphere because of the striking characters that pass in review. The beautiful soundtrack and photography also make an important contribution to this beautiful film.

Endura is such a rippling American country town as there are so many. It seems like nothing ever happens, but looks can be deceiving. Take the Grape family for example. There’s a lot going on. Eldest son Gilbert (Johnny Depp) has taken the place of his father, who committed suicide in the basement several years ago. His younger brother Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio) is mentally handicapped and at times quite a burden on Gilbert’s leg, who bears all the responsibility after the loss of his father. Eldest sister Amy has taken on the role of mother to the family, as the 250-pound Bonnie Grape has been confined to bed by her excessive weight and hasn’t been out for seven years. And then there’s teenage sister Ellen who is a bit of a nuisance every now and then. Gilbert’s life is turned upside down when he meets the girl Becky (Juliette Lewis), who gets stranded with her grandmother in Endura during the annual trailer tour. This meeting is a welcome change in the not so simple life of Gilbert Grape.

The film, based on the book of the same name by author Peter Hedges (he also wrote the screenplay) is a beautiful, moving story about everyday life. The cast is truly outstanding, led by a formidable Leonardo DiCaprio. He was only 19 years old at the time of this film, but as the mentally retarded Arnie Grape, he made such an impression that he was nominated for an Oscar. It may have been a shame that the coveted statuette eventually went to Tommy Lee Jones for his role in ‘The Fugitive’ (1993), but Leo’s name in Hollywood was well established.

The other actors, with Johnny Depp as the dreamy title hero and Mary Steenburgen as the horny neighbor in the lead, are also in excellent shape. Depp is of course used to playing outsiders (just before this film he made ‘Bennie & Joon’ (1993) and ‘Edward Scissorhands’ (1990)), and gives his character Gilbert Grape a gentleness that covers the entire film like a blanket. . Of course, as a viewer, you can’t ignore Darlene Cates, the obese lady who plays mother Bonnie Grape. The scene where she leaves the police station and everyone in the street is staring at her is so poignant that even as a viewer you don’t feel comfortable watching it. The trick, however, is to portray Bonnie and also Arnie Grape in such a way that you look at them with sympathy rather than pity. And Hallström succeeded very well in this film.

Movies like ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ are not easy to sum up. But often films that fall into that category are very good. They show everyday life, closely observed, the viewer gets to know the character bit by bit, as it were, and perhaps also discovers a hidden side of himself. The fact that Hallström manages to combine these qualities with comedy, romance and even melodrama makes ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ a sublime spectacle.