22 Family Movies Not To Watch With Your Family On Thanksgiving
By Tina Wargo
Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
Vintage Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp pre-meltdown, and a sweet, sad, small-town drama make this the perfect movie to watch when you need to fall into a quick depression slash feel a burst of familial love. In this movie, Johnny Depp plays Gilbert, a man who has assumed the responsibility of taking care of his developmentally disabled younger brother while providing for his morbidly obese mother after his father hanged himself in their basement. Along with his two well-meaning but bratty sisters, Gilbert must keep the family afloat while dealing with his own personal issues: an affair with a married woman being one of them. There’s a lot going on, and most of it is heartbreaking, but lots of it, largely due to Leo’s portrayal of sweet and sometimes sassy Arnie, is more uplifting than it sounds.
Unlike some on the list, this movie will likely distance you from your own family troubles, as it’s unlikely you’re dealing with the particular set of nightmarish circumstances the Grapes are. But the family structure, the desire to protect each other, and the often painful familial obligations you fulfill at the expense of your own happiness will send you right back into the unshakable analysis of your own family.
Especially avoid if: You’re the Gilbert. If you’re the responsible one, if you feel like you can’t live your own life because you’re constantly called to assist in or even manage the lives of your siblings and parents, if you feel as though your responsibilities have made it such that your life hasn’t been yours, you might want to stay away. It’s possible you could find a kindred spirit in Gilbert, and be inspired to put yourself on a different path. But it’s also possible that you’ll just end up in a puddle of regrets and fear, especially when you reach the film’s climax.