What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

Starring: Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, & Juliette Lewis

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Sometimes the best performance come in a film that just doesn't deserve them. Everyone knows of Gilbert Grape, but not because it is a classic film that deserves to stand the test of time, rather it is the film that launched two of the biggest careers in Hollywood. Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) is barely old enough to drink, yet he is the man of the house, forced to raise his brother and sisters, and care for his obese mother. Gilbert lives in the middle of nowhere, works a terrible job, and his future doesn't look so bright, that is until a girl, traveling cross-country with her grandmother, breaks down in his town. A relationship blossoms and Gilbert finally discovers that life has been passing him by. The story here is simple and at many points extremely slow moving. This film was just meant to be a backwards love story, but has become so much more, because of Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio. The two young stars gave everything they had and more, with so little to work with, that their performances became absolutely legendary. What's Eating Gilbert Grape is not a good film, but you will be hard pressed to find one performance, must less two as good as the ones in this film. The feeling and emotion that come along with their joys and despair is something you just can't teach, either you have it or you don't. Both these actors will make you feel every emotion of their characters and make you take a look inside yourself in a way that few film will ever do. I hated the story, but I recommend this film for nothing else than it's performances. If every performance were as good as these, there wouldn't be a need to rate and review films.