Be Reel: What's Eating Gilbert Grape

In the small town of Endora, Iowa the most exciting thing that happens is the motorcycle parade that passes each year before the fair arrives. That, and the fact that Endora is finally becoming more "mainstream" and building a burger barn chain restaurant. Though simple as it may seem to someone else, to Gilbert's little brother, Arnie, these events are the biggest thing that could happen-besides his eighteenth birthday.

Gilbert Grape is a twenty four year old small town grocery clerk who still lives at home, taking over the role of his father. Gilbert and his two sisters, all take care of their mother and their mentally impaired brother, Arnie, who is lucky he has lived this long. Their father hung himself in their basement, which sends their mother into a stress-eating depression, and she blows up to the point where she cannot even stand up. The 1993 film, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, is personally one of my favorites, though there are a few problems in my opinion.

For instance their mother- while I feel like I should feel bad for her, I cannot bring myself to. I find her character annoyingly needy who can never see the bright side in anything. She constantly blames others for not doing tasks that she should be doing, but she barely even sit up to do them. I feel that she is the whole reason why the family does not get along, besides Arnie and Gilbert. The siblings constantly bicker, and are embarrassed at the fact that their mother is the town joke. Most of the arguments between the siblings revolve around their mother and the fact that they are stuck taking care of her.

I also found Gilbert's love interest boring- which is strange in my opinion because she is not from Endora, so her character could have been portrayed in so many different ways but they chose to make her dull. (I cannot even remember her name and I've seen the film over ten times.) The personal growth for Gilbert in their relationship does add to his character development though, and I think she is needed in the film to show that. She really does help answer the question to the movie, "what's eating Gilbert Grape" she helps him find out what is really bothering him, not just what is at the surface, so for that she is important.

Overall I would give the film a Good-Good rating because while I am biased because I love the plot and the movie in general, (even with the characters I do not particularly like) the movie is also well made and entertaining within the "nothing-happens-in-a-small-town" idea that is portrayed throughout the film.

(Though I can't post a clip from any scene in the movie with mama because I think mainly all of them sort of spoil parts of the movie so here is the trailer.)
What's Eating Gilbert Grape Trailer