Gilbert Grape

Original title: What's Eating Gilbert Grape

1993
12
1h 58m

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

261K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,887

Play trailer2:11

3 Videos

99+ Photos

Coming-of-Age Teen Drama Tragedy Drama

A young man in a small Midwestern town struggles to care for his mentally-disabled younger brother and morbidly obese mother while attempting to pursue his own happiness.A young man in a small Midwestern town struggles to care for his mentally-disabled younger brother and morbidly obese mother while attempting to pursue his own happiness.A young man in a small Midwestern town struggles to care for his mentally-disabled younger brother and morbidly obese mother while attempting to pursue his own happiness.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

261K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,887

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 8 wins & 7 nominations total

Videos3

Trailer 2:11

Official Trailer

Clip 4:29

The Rise of Leonardo DiCaprio

Clip 4:29

The Rise of Leonardo DiCaprio

Video 4:07

What Roles Did Leonardo DiCaprio Almost Play?

Photos104

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‘Snow White’ Stars Test Their Wits

Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, and director Marc Webb take our Ultimate Disney Quiz.

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Johnny Depp felt bad about having to ridicule Darlene Cates' character, "Momma," and would often apologize to her after shooting. Depp once said to Cates, "Man, I want you to know how much I hated having to say those things about you, or about your character."

Goofs
Gilbert never says that his father died 17 years ago. He said that his father was "hung out to dry 17 years ago", meaning he probably lost a business or a lot of money, and a few years later committed suicide, so he really is Ellen's father. Arnie is also pretty aware of his father's method of dying. If he had died 17 years before, Arnie would just have been a baby, therefore not knowing exactly what happened.

Quotes
Becky: Tell me what you want, as fast as it comes to you.
Gilbert: Uhh...
Becky: Okay?
Gilbert: 'Kay.
Becky: Okay. What do you want?
[He's thinking about it]
Becky: Faster!
Gilbert: Okay. I want a new thing. House. I want a new house. And a family.
[He sighs heavily]
Gilbert: I want Momma to take aerobics classes. I want Ellen to grow up. I want a new brain for Arnie. I want...
Becky: What do you want for you? Just for you?
Gilbert: I want to be a good person.

Crazy credits
The cast is listed with all capital letters in the ending credits. Leonardo DiCaprio's name is listed in capital letters with smaller font size for character "I" in "Di".

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: The Pelican Brief/Beethoven's 2nd/Philadelphia/What's Eating Gilbert Grape/Wrestling Ernest Hemmingway (1993)

Soundtracks
This Magic Moment
by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman
Performed by The Manor High School Marching Band

User reviews440

Featured review

DiCaprio Is Excellent

I saw this movie a couple of years ago and have seen it many times since. I have worked with special needs children for nearly 20 years, and Leonardo DiCaprio gives an excellent performance as a mentally challenged teenager. His mannerisms and vocal inflection as Arnie were dead on. I had never been a DiCaprio fan until I watched this movie, now I see him in a completely different light. He SO deserved an Oscar for this performance. It puts that whole Dustin Hoffman/Rainman performance to shame.

Beyond this outstanding performance is an incredible movie. What is eating Gilbert Grape indeed? Oh, just a loony housewife that wants him at every turn, a mother who requires as much care as a child and a mentally challenged brother who requires almost as much care as a toddler. What is not eating him alive is a better question. The anger culminates in a harsh scene with Arnie. That scene is so real it tears my heart out.

Fabulous film, fantastic performances. One of my favorites.