Watch this movie free at Hulu.com: http://www.hulu.com/watch/116246/whats-eating-gilbert-grape
I first watched WEGG over 10 years ago. I didn't like Arnie's antics, so I changed channels half-way. I couldn't have been older than Jr. High then, & didn't pay attention to who the actors were.
Just the other day, I found out that the developmentally-delayed boy was actually none other than Leo DiCaprio! I was like, "WHAT? OMG! I'VE GOTTA WATCH THE WHOLE THING NOW."
I was pondering whether to rent it from Digital Shelf but remembered that I've been pinching pennies this month. Then I found the full-length feature free on Hulu.
Before, I knew that Leo played smart characters, and everyone in between. (The smartest of his that I remember was a conboy named "Frank Abagnale, Jr." from the film "Catch Me If You Can." (Cheesy theme song, heh.))
Watching this cool actor play a developmentally-delayed guy actually endeared me to those kinds of kids more. Their kiddish antics actually look cute, and when I watch them act like kids long after they hit adolescence, I feel somewhat envious because I somewhat wish I'd join in to play with them. Alas, there'd be unseen forces holding me back though.
Now that I've seen Leo DiCaprio (of ALL actors) act as a kid like this, I have now just added one more entry to my list of possible career prospects: Working with and helping developmentally delayed teens (and I suppose adults.)
Man, in this film, Leo/Arnie even LOOKED like a 5-6 y.o. boy who just happened to have an overactive growth gland! I have NEVER been so endeared to these kinds of people in my life!! :-D
Have you watched this film? What were your thoughts?
Addendum: I just joined Leo's fanpage, and made this statement about the film to his discussion board: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=14650&uid=9085937115
After all these years, I still have not watched Gilbert Grape.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I found out too. It was in 1997-98, some years after the film first came out.
(He was big, because of Titanic, and several other films).
Very interesting to hear about this career direction.