Episode 32 – What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (w. Amber Elby)

Author and cinephile Amber Elby is back to discuss the 1993 indie film What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, and she records live from the same town it was filmed in! We dive right into the appropriateness of Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance and Johnny Depp’s inappropriate hair. Is this a film that would have been made today? Or would it have taken a completely different approach? And WATCH OUT FOR THE SYMBOLISM, IT’S COMING RIGHT AT YOU!!!

Clarifications:

Wikipedia states that Gilbert is 24, which is probably mentioned in the novel.

“Fire!” is indeed a REAL pinball game. Pretty sure it was still intentional foreshadowing, but fascinating nonetheless!

Movies We Reference:

The Greatest Showman (2017)

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

Inside Out (2015)