What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Kernel Score: 86% · 4,205 ratings · Rated PG-13
Genres: Romance, Drama
Released: 1993-12-17
Runtime: 118 minutes
Is What's Eating Gilbert Grape worth watching?
Worth watching. A young man cares for his brother and his house-bound mother in a dull Iowa town. It's a gentle, warm drama with a standout early performance, and its quiet humour never feels forced.
Watch it if you
- like quiet family dramas
- enjoy small-town stories
- want character over plot
Skip it if you
- need a tight plot
- dislike slow stories
Best for: Quiet night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch What's Eating Gilbert Grape
- Free with ads: Kanopy, Hoopla, YouTube Free
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Gilbert Grape is a small-town young man with a lot of responsibility. Chief among his concerns are his mother, who is so overweight that she can't leave the house, and his mentally impaired younger brother, Arnie, who has a knack for finding trouble. Settled into a job at a grocery store and an ongoing affair with local woman Betty Carver, Gilbert finally has his life shaken up by the free-spirited Becky.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that What's Eating Gilbert Grape deals with an extramarital affair, an obese housebound mother, and a mentally disabled younger brother, handled with sensitivity.
- Sex, romance & nudity: Some — Includes an ongoing extramarital affair between the protagonist and a married local woman, implied rather than explicit.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like What's Eating Gilbert Grape
If you liked What's Eating Gilbert Grape, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- The Straight Story (1999) — 89%: Gentle, humane drama about a man and his family.
- My Life as a Dog (1985) — 81%: Warm, funny story of a boy in a hard world.
- The Bridges of Madison County (1995) — 86%: Grown-up romance in a quiet small town.
- Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009) — 88%: Moving story of loyalty.
- The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014) — 83%: Warm, gentle story from the same director.
Director
Cast
- Johnny Depp as Gilbert Grape
- Leonardo DiCaprio as Arnie Grape
- Juliette Lewis as Becky
- Mary Steenburgen as Betty Carver
- Darlene Cates as Bonnie Grape
- Laura Harrington as Amy Grape
- Mary Kate Schellhardt as Ellen Grape
- Kevin Tighe as Ken Carver
- John C. Reilly as Tucker Van Dyke
- Crispin Glover as Bobby McBurney
What's Eating Gilbert Grape FAQ
Is What's Eating Gilbert Grape worth watching?
Worth watching. A young man cares for his brother and his house-bound mother in a dull Iowa town. It's a gentle, warm drama with a standout early performance, and its quiet humour never feels forced.
Where can I watch What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
In the US you can watch it free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla and YouTube Free and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is What's Eating Gilbert Grape OK for kids?
What's Eating Gilbert Grape is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that What's Eating Gilbert Grape deals with an extramarital affair, an obese housebound mother, and a mentally disabled younger brother, handled with sensitivity.
What movies are like What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
If you liked What's Eating Gilbert Grape, try The Straight Story, My Life as a Dog, The Bridges of Madison County and Hachi: A Dog's Tale.