Analysis Of What's Eating Gilbert Grape

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape: Film Review Nicole Roseman Maryville University Introduction and Summary What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, a motion picture released in 1993 and directed by Lasse Hallström, follows the life of Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) and his younger brother Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio), a mentally disabled 17 year old. Their mother, Bonnie (Darlene Cates), is morbidly obese and has been home-bound for the past seven years following the suicide of her husband. After their father died,

Lasse Hallstrom, director of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, uses film elements such as the setting of small town Endora, character development of for example main characters Gilbert (Jonny Depp), as well as Alan Parker and Bjorn Isfalt’s sound design and music to position the viewer to be hopeful and learn that change is inevitable by the end of the film. The film follows Gilbert Grape and his family struggling to survive after their father’s suicide with morbidly obese mother Bonnie (Darlene Cates)

Set in a small town of Endora, “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” tells us a story of a young man Gilbert Grape who have an abundant of responsibilities on his back. The story tells us the concerns of Gilbert are his mother who is obese and cannot leave the house and his brother, Arnie who is mentally disabled. Everything then changes for Gilbert when Becky arrived in Endora. Gilbert and Becky then undertake on a romantic relationship. This film teaches the audience a deeper understanding about life.

The compelling novel, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape by Peter Hedges, incorporates many relationships. The main character, 24-year old Gilbert Grape, narrates this novel. Gilbert is the main caregiver to his dysfunctional family. He works to keep the roof over his obese mother, stressed older sister, Amy, ungrateful younger sister, Ellen, and mentally challenged younger brother, Arnie. With all of the unwanted responsibility, Gilbert does not have many relationships. The ones that he does have are not

beyond his control, the main character of the film, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, shows the psychological emotional detachment that can occur when the realization of such an escape is impossible. Gilbert Grape is a man often thinking carefully about his situation and making an effort to filter his feelings. His family life is depressing, and his emotional response to his living arrangement is an overall rejection of everything around him. Gilbert often shows contempt for his family by having cynical

In the film What’s eating Gilbert Grape by Lasse Hallstrom, Johnny Depp plays the main character Gilbert Grape who lives in a lifeless remote town called Endora, with his morbidly obese mother and mentally handicapped brother Arnie. As a result of his family issues, Gilbert is left to take full responsibility of Arnie while working full time to support his family. One character I admired in this film is the character Becky who is Gilbert’s love interest. She is the catalyst for Gilbert as she is the

child does the right thing because s/he understands what is right and makes a conscious decision based on that knowledge, rather than refraining from doing the wrong thing simply to avoid "getting into trouble." Arnie Grape, the younger brother in the film What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, has not attained an age-appropriate level of moral development because he is at the low end of the autism spectrum. He is incapable of understanding others or considering the consequences of his actions. At the beginning

the personality that Gilbert Grape exhibits. Peter Hedges clearly communicates the fact that Gilbert underwent a transformation and his personality reflects the change. The transformation not only causes Gilbert to become conflicted with expressing his feelings, but he fears the guilt of doing so as well. Gilbert struggles with his family controlling his opinions, emotions and actions. Peter Hedges illustrates the crippling nature of fear in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. Gilbert becomes emotionally

into an extreme nature, creating the personality that Gilbert Grape exhibits. Peter Hedges clearly communicates the fact that Gilbert underwent a transformation and his personality reflects the change. The transformation not only causes Gilbert to become conflicted with expressing feelings, but he fears the guilt of doing so as well. Gilbert struggles with the family controlling the opinions, emotions and actions he makes. Peter Hedges

In the movie What’s Eating Gilbert Grape directed by Lasse Hallstrom, the idea of adversity is clearly shown. The Grapes aren’t your typical family, after the mother spirals down the staircase of depression, the five children are forced to grow up and mature as they now have the responsibility of looking after their mother. Endora is the town in which the story is set and the children are trapped inside as their mother hasn’t left the house in seven years. Gilbert Grape is faced with a number of