Well-written (albeit a little too long) and competently acted.
Comment
01/01/00
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
90
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:40
Fresh:36
Rotten:4
Average Rating:7.5/10
Synopsis: Bizarre, whimsical, and touching scenes mark WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE. Johnny Depp is Gilbert, the eldest brother in a large family of a very large (morbidly obese, actually) mother (Darlene... [More]
Starring: Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, Mary Steenburgen, Leonardo DiCaprio
Director: Lasse Hallstrom
Reviews for What's Eating Gilbert Grape
A quirky study of altruism that It shows how love in a family context can be transformed and renewed again and again.
12/08/01
Suggests that the true heroes are those people who day by day must tend to misfits, and do so with love, tenacity and a determination not to go terminally sour in the process.
06/19/09
One of the most enchanting movies of the year.
01/01/00
Top CriticThere is not much plot to speak of, but the film instead presents a moody, elegiac atmosphere of longing and desperation that is powerfully tangible ....
07/10/07
There is a warmth and wit and insightfulness here that brings the film significantly up a few notches from the usual fare on this subject, and the performances are all excellent.
01/01/00
There is a good idea for a movie hiding here, but Halstrom has buried it beneath a load of charmless shtick.
01/01/00
Top CriticIt's expertly handled, well-written material that knows and understands its many different characters. There are moments in this film that cover the entire emotional spectrum, and not a second is wasted on insincere emotion, making it a real winner.
02/27/01
A story that could easily have been mishandled by making Gilbert too sugary noble, but Hedges and Hallstrom create characters of depth and resonance.
01/01/00
Hallstrom finds the right bittersweet tone for his dysfunctional family tale (and one of Hollywood's few films about obesity), marvelously acted by Johnny Depp and particularly Leonardo DiCaprio in his second outing as a retarded adolescent.
06/29/07
Particularly impressive are the sweet, weirdly idyllic tone of Mr. Hallstrom's direction and Johnny Depp's tender, disarming performance as the long-suffering Gilbert Grape.
05/20/03
Top CriticSwedish director Lasse Hallstrom and his fine cast have endowed the story with a good deal of behavioral truth and unstressed comedy.
02/13/01
Top CriticOn the strength of DiCaprio and Depp's performances, What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a fantastic look at the anachronisms of small-town life and the myriad problems of coping with a go-nowhere existence.
11/23/01
A fantastic look at the anachronisms of small-town life and the myriad problems of coping with a go-nowhere existence.
11/23/01
Depp's sincere, subtle performance is certainly a big reason for the movie's success...
07/15/06
DiCaprio is perfect to the last twitch and squeal, and anyone who has ever spent time with mentally challenged kids will be hard-pressed to spot a flaw.
01/01/00
First, the good part. There is a 20 second clip of an architecturally interesting courthouse. The rest of the show is either boring or unbearably depressing.
01/01/00
Small-town drama has big moments thanks to Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis and a superb Leonardo DiCaprio.
11/07/02
All tics, flailings, and full-open, drooling laughter, DiCaprio seems to have captured the damaged heart and soul of Arnie Grape.
01/01/00
With an eccentric charm that falters only in a few places, the movie makes a strong statement against conformity and the franchising of America by celebrating a cast of characters and a storyline that don't fit into a mold.
05/20/03
Latest News for What's Eating Gilbert Grape
September 15, 2005:
That Crazy Carell Lands Yet Another New Gig
According to Variety, the suddenly VERY busy "40 Year-Old Virgin" Steve Carell has signed with Disney to star in Peter Hedges' comedy "Dan in Real Life,"... More...
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