Gilbert Grape is a small-town young man with a lot of responsibility. Chief among his concerns are his mother, who is so overweight that she can't leave the house, and his mentally impaired younger brother, Arnie, who has a knack for finding trouble. Settled into a job at a grocery store and an ongoing affair with local woman Betty Carver, Gilbert finally has his life shaken up by the free-spirited Becky.
Acting
DiCaprio's Arnie is physically transformative without ever becoming caricature.
Direction
Hallström finds beauty in the mundane without romanticizing poverty.
Writing
Dialogue that actually sounds like humans stuck in small towns talking.
Director
Lasse Hallström
Johnny Depp
Gilbert Grape
Leonardo DiCaprio
Arnie Grape
Juliette Lewis
Becky
Mary Steenburgen
Betty Carver
Darlene Cates
Momma
Laura Harrington
Amy Grape
Mary Kate Schellhardt
Ellen Grape
Kevin Tighe
Mr. Carver
John C. Reilly
Tucker Van Dyke
Crispin Glover
Bobby McBurney
Penelope Branning
Becky's Grandma
Susan Loughran
Mrs. Lamson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Darlene Cates (Momma) was cast after being featured on Sally Jesse Raphael about her agoraphobia; this was her only major film role.
DiCaprio's Oscar nomination for this role cemented the 'suffering disabled character' awards bait template that persists today.
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