It takes an extremely humane and observant writer, and a skilled, thoughtful director, to make a movie pitched perfectly for both restless adolescents and their understanding parents.
“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” is simply a great movie, regardless of genre. No need to pigeonhole it as a family film – it speaks to everyone, with emotion, realism and a wonderful cast to flesh out the story.
“Gilbert” stars Johnny Depp as a small-town eldest son, frustrated by the responsibilities of an overweight, housebound mother, a developmentally disabled brother, and a dead-end job in a Main Street grocery store recently bypassed by a discount warehouse on the highway.
Gilbert is dying inside for a little freedom, but he’s too good a person to shirk his needy brother and his struggling family. A young Leonardo DiCaprio steals the show as disabled Arnie, remarkably re-creating the vocal and emotional tics of a “touched” youth without demeaning the role or himself through caricature.
With supporting efforts by Juliette Lewis, John C. Reilly, Mary Steenburgen and others, the pressure is off heartthrob Johnny Depp. He responds with one of his best performances, striving to be decent while finding his true self.
Lasse Hallstrom, whom we praised earlier for “My Life as a Dog” and other fine films, directed “Gilbert” from a script by Peter Hedges. Hedges also wrote “About a Boy,” one of the most poignant comedies of the past decade, so everything about “Gilbert” boasts a fine pedigree.
(The sexual content that earned the movie a PG-13 rating involves two suggestive, but certainly not shocking, scenes where Steenburgen tries to seduce Depp.)
Each Tuesday, Michael Booth uncovers a movie gem for rewarding family entertainment. Reach him at mbooth@denverpost.com; keep up on film at denverpost.com/movies
