What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

What's Eating Gilbert Grape
This was a great movie! Critics reviewed this as "wonderfully original" and I agree. Johnny Depp has such a wide variety of acting abilities and this is definitely no exception. Leonardo DiCaprio did a wonderful portrial of a mentally handicapped young man - very impressive. What a story! Probably not the ending that you would expect.

Excellent Edition**GET IT** See the "greats" before they became so!
What is now so wonderful about revisiting WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE after several years, is to see multi nominated Oscar performers Johnny Depp,Leonardo DiCaprio and Juliette Lewis when they were on their road to stardom.WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE? is one of those incredible ensemble acting pieces that required JUST the right kind of actors.It is interesting to note that Depp,DiCaprio and Lewis have all, at one time, been listed as Hollywood's "most intriguing actors"!.This, to me, lies the greatness and the heart of this touching 1993 look at confused,repressed and quirky people in a dead Texas town called Endora! Take my favorite director Lasse Hallstrom ([[ASIN:B00003CWNR The Cider House Rules (Miramax Collector's Series)]],[[ASIN:B000EDWKXI Casanova]]) and Oscar winning screenplay writer Peter Hedges ([[ASIN:B00005JL7Q About a Boy (Widescreen Edition)]], and [[ASIN:B0000VV4OK Pieces of April]]...he always writes, with great tenderness, very conflicted characters!), and VOILA, you have a look back in time when the "great ones" were still yet to reach their pinnacle of success!GILBERT GRAPE has ALL the earmarks of that greatness to come.
First off, if you have no patience with intimate films that have deliberate character development and no action, you may want to pass.If you relish great acting and a rising action story line, then read on!
Gilbert is the second son of five on whom his entire family hangs! The oldest son flew the coup, the father committed suicide, the mother is a depressed obese and, the youngest son is a retarded boy who was not supposed to live, and the two sisters seem to have their own issues in life.Gilbert (expertly crafted by Depp) is the model of restraint and co-dependent behaviour as he cares for all of his family.But what is eating at Gilbert? He should be exploding any minute, but his feelings seem so repressed as he runs after his younger brother (DiCaprio- who received an Oscar nom),helps to deal with his Mother's depression and 500 pound+ obesity and also work in a dead end job as a grocery store stock boy.In fact, the only sign that Gilbert has any life in him, is when he delivers groceries to an older and married housewife (Oscar winner Mary Steenburgen,as only she could deliver this performance!)where Gilbert finds himself somewhat entrapped,but afraid to let go.Enter Becky, a passer-through Airstream trailer girl whose rig breaks down in Endora.It is this relationship that awakens Gilbert and the rest of the family to confront all of the repressed and suppressed feelings as a family that somehow functions.Every performance in this film is A+ and should be viewed for the quality of acting and adeptness at direction and screenplay.
The Special Edition has wonderful interviews with the cast and director that give perspective of people who can now look back at the film and examine it with fresh perspective.One of the best Special Editions on DVD and well worth the $$$.

The Collector's Edition of What's Eating Gilbert Grape is certainly worth buying
I debated on whether to buy this DVD as I already had one of the original Gilbert Grapes I think this one was done in 2006. I am so glad I did it is well worth it. The extra's are great just to hear Johnny talk about it is enough, then you hear from Darlene and Mary. The directors commentary along with Peter Hedgers is really good. I hadn't read the book so hearing the author talking about the book along with the movie is very informative. Neither Lasse nor Peter had seen the movie in years so it was really fun to watch it with them...buy it.