What's Eating Gilbert Grape

'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' is an offbeat, middleweight charmer that is lent a measure of substance by its astute performances and observational insight. A modest effort of uninsistent qualities but many felicitous moments, this is not the sort of self-trumpeting, broadly commercial release normally associated with the year-end holidays.

Few performers have chosen a path to stardom as eccentric as Johnny Depp's. This sly, handsome, rather anonymous young actor has set himself a bizarre challenge: He seems to be trying to attain a state of complete emotional passivity on screen to become a youth-movie idol by doing as close to nothing as possible.

Read What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) synopsis, storyline and movie plot summary on Fandango.

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Movie Review of 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' by Scott Holleran.

Is What's Eating Gilbert Grape? OK for your child? Read Common Sense Media's movie review to help you make informed decisions.

Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) is a small-town young man with a lot of responsibility. Chief among his concerns are his mother (Darlene Cates), who is so overweight that she can't leave the house, and his mentally impaired younger brother, Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio), who has a knack for finding trouble.

One of the downsides of living in a movie landmark with a half-mile long driveway is that obsessed fans who can't get a satisfactory peek from the road will occasionally think nothing about rolling up to your front door. Jim Lutz and Alex Carrillo have lived in their 100-year old farmhouse in Manor, Texas, since 1977, raising five children, running a jewelry business, and occasionally lending their rustic home to a movie or television production. But the tourists who come knocking arenâ??t imposing on their hospitality because of Roadie, the 1980 movie starring Art Carney and Meat Loaf that filmed there. And they arenâ??t snapping pictures because they loved the season of The Simple Life where Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie swept through. Rather, theyâ??ve driven long distances â?? some come all the way from Europe â?? because of Whatâ??s Eating Gilbert Grape?, the 1993 movie that starred Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio.

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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.

Johnny Depp recalled working with a then lesser-known Leonardo DiCaprio during the 1993 drama 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' - find out why he 'tortured' him!

What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a 1993 American drama film directed by Lasse Hallstrom and starring Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, Darlene Cates, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Directed by Lasse Hallstrom. With Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juliette Lewis, Mary Steenburgen.