It's hard to imagine now, with another Leonardo DiCaprio movie coming out that will feature the star as a hunkish sexpot, that there once was a kinder, gentler Leo who was more concerned with good acting than appealing to a mass of confused, teenage girls. To remind yourself, amid all the Tiger Beat frenzy surrounding his upcoming movie "The Beach," may I suggest renting "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," a 1993 throw-back to some vintage Leo.
"What's Eating Gilbert Grape" is characterized by good acting across the board with palpable, honest performances by supporting actors Juliette Lewis, John C. Reilly, and Mary Steenburgen.
Johnny Depp's performance as the brooding title character, Gilbert Grape, perfectly depicts the inner struggle of a young man torn between the desire to make a life of his own, and the obligation to provide for a family deserted by their father.
But it is DiCaprio's portrayal of Arnie Grape, an 18-year-old autistic, that really stands out. It was this performance that earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination in 1993.
DiCaprio's realization of the role is not only convincing but refreshingly different from his overconfident, God's-gift-to-women characters of late. From a purely jealous and vengeful standpoint there is something strangely gratifying in seeing a $20 million-per-film actor crying over a dead grasshopper with a tendril of snot dripping down his cherubic face.
The film offers a rare glimpse of the trials and tragedies of life in a rural Iowa town, coming off with a distinctive, independent film vibe. Gilbert's struggle as care-taker of Arnie and their obese mother, Momma (Darlene Cates) comes at a time when he is also the seeming last vestige of hope in a town stuck in the doldrums.
"Grape" is an enlightening and uplifting film. It has every element of the timeless story, from love and hope to conquering your inner demons, without the all-too-common mindless plot that tends to affix a cheesy stigma to the morally uplifting aspects of most films.
Films that tend to emphasize themes of hope and the tragedies and miracles of everyday life can walk the fine line between poignancy and insipidness. "Grape" avoids the saccharine pitfall common to this genre by adding a proper touch of eccentric humor, in creating an alternating mood of highs and lows such that typify the 'slice of life.'
"What's Eating Gilbert Grape" is one of those films that helps add some perspective to your own life. The problems and triumphs depicted in the film, while realistic, seem daunting in comparison to the rigors of my life. I was struck by the sense of wonder at the random nature of life and the undying sense that it will all somehow work itself out. I finished this movie with a wide grin on my face.
