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.

A documentary on Jan Slovak, a 55-year-old welder, who fell in love with acting. His desire began, when he got the lead role in a theatrical adaptation of the worst movie of all time, Plan 9 From Outer Space by Ed Wood Jr. The passion for theater became his destiny.

Nine-year-old Harwood isn't like other boys in 1977 Texas. After losing his brother in a tragic car crash, his mother takes up drinking, and Harwood finds comfort in his best friend -- fellow-nine-year-old Billy, the mentally-handicapped girl from down the street. Together, they watch the famous blimp fly overhead, and craft a "blimp trap" to catch it for their very own. They're teased for their special game, and their friendship, until one day, something miraculous happens.