Have you ever watched a film and found yourself laughing at something grotesque? Many films try to make things comical that are typically frowned upon. It is important that a film does not make the audience uncomfortable but to use enough black comedy to make a film comical. What's Eating Gilbert Grape demonstrates black comedy with Arnie's mental retardation, Gilbert's comments on his obese mother, and the director expressing their mother's obesity.
             The film begins with Arnie killing a grasshopper in a mailbox. The director uses black comedy making the audience laugh at Arnie's realization on life, by killing the grasshopper and then crying afterwards. The audience is uncomfortable by laughing at a kid with mental retardation, but still is able to laugh at the situation.
             Society typically looks down on obesity, yet in the film Gilbert finds humor in comparing his mother to a beached whale. Gilbert also goes on to say how amazing it is that his home looks so small in the distance, but has so much girth inside.
             Not only does Gilbert try to illustrate the size of his mother, but the director does as well. As she gets in the car, her side sinks six inches down and you see the slanting car drive down the road to the police station. After leaving the police station she is a spectacle to the kids playing in the grass. A man walking by even has the nerve to pull out his camera and take a snapshot.
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