Overlay: What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) MPAA Rating

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Errors	Missing	Unverified	Supported
1	1	0	10

How were these counts calculated?

Errors (1)

The father is never shown in the film, even in flashbacks. His suicide is only dmuddled-context

Missing (1)

Specific mention of Arnie's age (turning 18).: The plot revolves around Arnie's omitted-detail

#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), what was the film rated (e.g. R, PG, G), and what elements of the film contributed to that rating?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

The film What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

The official reason provided for the rating is "for elements of mature subject matter." While this is a broad description, the specific elements that contributed to the rating can be broken down into several categories based on the film's content:

1. Mature Themes and Subject Matter

The film deals with several heavy and potentially distressing topics that moved it out of the PG category:

Family Tragedy: The plot centers on a deeply dysfunctional family grappling with the suicide of the father, which occurred years prior (he is shown briefly in a non-graphic manner during a flashback).
Morbid Obesity and Stigma: The character of Bonnie (Mama) is morbidly obese and housebound. The film portrays her physical struggles and the social mockery she faces (e.g., local children peeking through the windows to stare at her), which creates an emotionally intense atmosphere.
Death and Funerals: The film ends with the death of the mother and a scene where the children burn their family home down as a "funeral pyre" to prevent her body from being publicly gawked at by onlookers.

2. Sexual Content and Adult Relationships

A significant subplot involves an illicit relationship that introduces adult themes:

Affair: The protagonist, Gilbert (Johnny Depp), is involved in a long-standing affair with a married woman, Betty Carver (Mary Steenburgen).
Sexual Innuendo: While there is no graphic nudity, the relationship is sexually suggestive. One scene implies sexual activity through dialogue and behavior, and there are scenes of mild physical intimacy, such as kissing.

3. Violence and Intensity

There are several moments of physical and emotional intensity:

Physical Altercation: In a pivotal and upsetting scene, a frustrated Gilbert loses his temper and strikes his mentally disabled younger brother, Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio), multiple times.
Endangerment: Arnie repeatedly puts himself in life-threatening danger by climbing the town’s high water tower, leading to tense standoffs with the police.
Accidental Death: A character (Ken Carver) suffers a heart attack and drowns in a shallow wading pool. While not "violent" in the traditional sense, the discovery of his body is a grim moment.

4. Language

The film contains moderate profanity. While it does not use the high-frequency "strong" language typically associated with R-rated films, it includes various mild to moderate swear words (e.g., "sh*t," "hell," and "damn") and derogatory terms used toward the characters, which the MPAA deemed appropriate for a teenage audience and above.

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] The film is officially rated PG-13 by the MPAA.

[2] The official MPAA rating reason is 'for elements of mature subject matter.'

[3] The father is never shown in the film, even in flashbacks. His suicide is only discussed.

[4] The film prominently features the character Bonnie's morbid obesity and the social stigma she faces.

[5] The film ends with the mother's death and the children burning the house down.

[6] Gilbert has an affair with Betty Carver, a married woman.

[7] The film contains sexual innuendo and suggestive behavior but no graphic nudity.

[8] Gilbert strikes Arnie multiple times in a scene of physical frustration.

[9] Arnie repeatedly climbs the town's water tower, creating life-threatening situations.

[10] Ken Carver dies of a heart attack and drowns in a kiddie pool.

[11] The film contains mild to moderate profanity, including 'shit', 'hell', and 'damn'.

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

Medium

Frequent use of the slur 'retard'.

The film uses the word 'retard' or 'retarded' multiple times to describe Arnie, which is a significant part of the 'mature subject matter' and linguistic context of the film's era.

Low

Specific mention of Arnie's age (turning 18).

The plot revolves around Arnie's 18th birthday party, which adds to the pressure on Gilbert.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 Why did Leonardo DiCaprio receive an Oscar nomination for this role?

#02 How did the film's portrayal of obesity impact its reception?

#03 What are the differences between the novel and the film What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

#S SOURCES

medium.com wikipedia.org rogerebert.com reddit.com dove.org wordpress.com reddit.com reddit.com reddit.com cringemdb.com

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

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The film *What's Eating Gilbert Grape* (1993) is rated **PG-13** by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). The official reason provided for the rating is **"for elements of mature subject matter."** While this is a broad description, the specific elements that contributed to the rating can be broken down into several categories based on the film's content: ### 1. Mature Themes and Subject Matter The film deals with several heavy and potentially distressing topics that moved it out of the PG category: * **Family Tragedy:** The plot centers on a deeply dysfunctional family grappling with the suicide of the father, which occurred years prior (he is shown briefly in a non-graphic manner during a flashback). * **Morbid Obesity and Stigma:** The character of Bonnie (Mama) is morbidly obese and housebound. The film portrays her physical struggles and the social mockery she faces (e.g., local children peeking through the windows to stare at her), which creates an emotionally intense atmosphere. * **Death and Funerals:** The film ends with the death of the mother and a scene where the children burn their family home down as a "funeral pyre" to prevent her body from being publicly gawked at by onlookers. ### 2. Sexual Content and Adult Relationships A significant subplot involves an illicit relationship that introduces adult themes: * **Affair:** The protagonist, Gilbert (Johnny Depp), is involved in a long-standing affair with a married woman, Betty Carver (Mary Steenburgen). * **Sexual Innuendo:** While there is no graphic nudity, the relationship is sexually suggestive. One scene implies sexual activity through dialogue and behavior, and there are scenes of mild physical intimacy, such as kissing. ### 3. Violence and Intensity There are several moments of physical and emotional intensity: * **Physical Altercation:** In a pivotal and upsetting scene, a frustrated Gilbert loses his temper and strikes his mentally disabled younger brother, Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio), multiple times. * **Endangerment:** Arnie repeatedly puts himself in life-threatening danger by climbing the town’s high water tower, leading to tense standoffs with the police. * **Accidental Death:** A character (Ken Carver) suffers a heart attack and drowns in a shallow wading pool. While not "violent" in the traditional sense, the discovery of his body is a grim moment. ### 4. Language The film contains **moderate profanity**. While it does not use the high-frequency "strong" language typically associated with R-rated films, it includes various mild to moderate swear words (e.g., "sh*t," "hell," and "damn") and derogatory terms used toward the characters, which the MPAA deemed appropriate for a teenage audience and above.

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

▼

The film What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for 'elements of mature subject matter.' Key elements contributing to this rating include: 1) Mature Themes: The plot involves a father's suicide (discussed but not shown), a mother's morbid obesity, and the family's decision to burn their home as a funeral pyre. 2) Adult Relationships: Gilbert has an affair with a married woman, Betty Carver, which includes suggestive scenes and kissing. 3) Violence/Intensity: Gilbert physically strikes his mentally disabled brother Arnie; Arnie repeatedly endangers himself by climbing a water tower; and a character (Ken Carver) dies by drowning in a kiddie pool. 4) Language: The film contains moderate profanity (e.g., 'shit', 'hell', 'damn') and the frequent use of the slur 'retard' in reference to Arnie's disability.

OVERLAY REPORT