Thanks for the memories!

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Leonardo DiCaprio. Even at such a young age, he garnered acclaim for his performances to which this challenging role may just be one of his best. A young man named Gilbert Grape is tasked with looking after his morbidly obese mother and mentally impaired brother, whilst developing a romance with the new girl in town. Both a family drama and a character study, where the primary focus is on the titular individual. The frustration of these unfortunate situations accumulate as he attempts to retain his inner rage to prevent his family from being destroyed. The stress and attentiveness of caring for two family members that constantly need looking after can be quite overbearing. Depp gives one of his better performances in what is a rather nuanced iteration of the character. His cool calm demeanour masquerades the anxiety within. It has to be said though, that DiCaprio easily stole the spotlight. Absolutely incredible performance. The innocence behind the tics and shenanigans that his mental illness causes was conveyed with the utmost of delicacy. It was difficult to watch certain scenes, he was that masterful. Cates was also noteworthy for her commanding role. Hedges, who originally wrote the novel, crafts a screenplay that retains the heart and tenderness of its source material. It's a classic 90s narrative structure where the story illustrates a clear beginning and conclusion without resorting to ambiguity, where you also feel that the characters have truly been developed as the plot progresses. Hallström's directing techniques were rather basic, which unfortunately prevented the cinematography from revealing itself. Some variations in direction would've elevated the drama, particularly the romance and affair, however the end result is nice. That's honestly the best way to describe this film. It's nice. Remove the performances and it would just be "good", but fortunately we have Depp and DiCaprio giving it their best.

I fully admit that I appreciate slower films more than most and that this definitely qualifies as a s-l-o-w film. That said, I'm still surprised at some of the excessively, over-the-top negative reviews here.It's already been pointed out, by many, that -- for the performance of Leonardo DiCaprio alone -- this film is worth checking out. And that's true. Like others, this was the first time I had ever seen him in anything and I remember thinking how amazing it was that they had cast a mentally challenged person in the film. He was/is that good in this.But, beyond that, I found the film uniquely touching in its portrayal of family and the limits that a community can sometimes put on those who are struggling to improve their lot in life and overcome those things that would bring us down. Inspiring.

Yes, I know some of these people will review about the expected occurrences that went on in this film. But, I wonder if momma committed suicide to purposely let her children live their lives without entrapments such as the obligation to help her. Sure, they were generous and humble in their own ways. Which is why I like this film. What's Eating Gilbert Grape is one of a kind. Definitely not something you will experience for every film that is out there.

This is a story that describes the emotional growth of a young man. The main character whose name is Gilbert never left his hometown Endora since he was born. He has taken care of his brother, Arnie, who had a mental disability and his fat bulimic mother who has never gone out of home since her husband killed himself and two sisters. One day, he meets Becky who turns out to stay in Endora for a while because of a trailer breakdown.At first, the acting of Leonardo DiCaprio is really great. He played Arnie at the tender age of 15. However, he plays a boy with mental retardation naturally as if he were real retarded boy by devising his look and how to move his body. The acting of Johnny Depp is also excellent. Gilbert is bound his family, so he cannot leave Endora freely. Johnny Depp can express the kindness that Gilbert takes care of his brother and mother and the frustration that he wants to know the world out there. I think it's good scene that Gilbert changes his view of life by commune with Becky.