Movie: What’s Eating Gilbert Grape Essay, Research Paper

Movie: What’s Eating Gilbert Grape

“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”, as directed by Lasse Hallstrom, is a

comedy, drama, romance, all wrapped up into one grand movie. Leonardo DiCaprio

plays a mentally impaired boy with a caring brother, who always took care of his

brother until the love of his life came to town, proposing the essential

question: What is a boy willing to sacrifice in order to be with the one he

loves?

Johnny Deep plays Gilbert Grape whose father left when he was little,

causing his mother to become depressed and never leave the house again. Gilbert

referees to her as a ?beached whale? because she has gained so much weight. One

afternoon a silver camper had engine trouble, forcing them to stay in town for a

few weeks until it is fixed. During that time Gilbert has fallen in love with

the girl in the trailer, played by Juliette Lewis. Gilbert becomes very

irresponsible when it comes to his slow brother. He once left Arnie(Johnny Depp)

in the bath tub all night because he wanted to go visit the girl. Arnie was then

terrified of the water and refused to go back on ever again. Another time was

when Gilbert was in a deep conversation with the girl (Ellen), and did not

notice Arnie disappear. He ended -up climbing to the top of the water tower and

not coming down until the firefighters carried him down. Their mother was very

upset with Gilbert and asked, ?Where has your head been?? Gilbert head has been

up in the clouds, with his love.

This movie, ?What’s eating Gilbert Grape? is similar to the movie ?Rain

Man?. In both movies they have mentally impaired bothers who need certain

treatment. These brothers didn’t always give it to them. In ?Rain Man?, Charlie

abducted his brother, Raymond, from the only home he has ever know. This wasn’t

the proper kind of treatment that Raymond needed, he was treated this way out of

Charlies’ selfish reasons. Gilbert also had selfish reasons for treating Arnie

the way he did. This reason was his love for a girl, named Ellen.

Near the end of the movie, Gilbert had a chance to help them fix the

trailer, but I find it ironic that he couldn’t get it fixed. I feel that he

just want Ellen to stay longer with him, but the trailer was repaired later and

Ellen had to leave town, not wanting to though. I feel that this was only for

the best because Arnie needed more attention then he was getting. He could of

gotten hurt when he disappeared, and Arnie may not be around much longer, he was

only suppose to live to be ten, he is eighteen now. Gilbert needs to concentrate

on his brother, and if he does want love, he will need to be more responsible.