Continuity mistake: In the final scene, when you first see Arnie sitting on side of the road his hair appears as it has throughout the movie (long, oily, unkempt). Then he is running down the road towards the motorcade. When he gets to Becky, his hair is cut and well groomed. Also, he appears to be wearing a different shirt. (01:54:00 - 02:00:00)
Factual error: In the grocery store where Gilbert works, loaves of Mrs. Baird's bread are seen on the shelves; Mrs. Baird's is a Texas-based bakery whose products would not be available as far away as Iowa.
Suggested correction: You are right - the product should not be on the shelves of a store in a state that does not receive the product. I was just questioning your assertion that distance from Texas is a determining factor - states further away (e.g, Oregon, California. Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania) do sell Mrs. Baird's bread. I wasn't familiar with this brand, but I found out it is sold locally in Pennsylvania. When I was on-line, I also found out that Allen Baird, 97, recently died of COVID-19.
I'm curious what cities/stores sell Mrs. Baird's breads in PA (or OR, CA, MA).
You can go on-line, like I did. I just did a search for Mrs. Baird's bread, and that website is set up to enable you to look for locations where it is sold - by state and/or zip code.
Sorry... I didn't want to reveal the city I'm in... but I can at least tell you the bread is sold at a Walmart store.
I specifically looked on their website and no PA stores popped up, not even Walmart. Of course, the mistake is still valid since this was 27 years ago and in Iowa.
My point exactly; this mistake merely gave away the fact that this film was made in Texas rather than Iowa where it was set. Since "Errors In Geography" is not a separate category here as it is on IMDb, I submitted it as a factual error; while I'm unaware whether Mrs. Baird's products are available now in Iowa, I know that wasn't the case in the early 90s when this film was made and released.
If it's not incorporated into the plot, generally these mistakes should be considered "revealing" mistakes, it's revealing it's not really filmed where it's set.
I just searched again, and Mrs. Baird's bread is also sold at Target and Sam's Club. I was surprised to see there is a "Bimbo Bakery" less than 12 miles away. I wasn't familiar with this brand, and now I suspect the products were recently made available; I surely would have noticed the products or the bakery before now. If I Google "Where can I buy Mrs. Baird's bread?" a map showing local stores comes up. But if I go to mrsbairds.com and put my zip code under "store locater", "no stores available in this zip code" shows up.
In California, it can be found at any grocery store that sells Bimbo products. Specifically, Ralph's, Albertson's, Von's, Walmart, Smart and Final, Aldi, Superior Grocers and Jon's.
It should be noted that Bimbo Bakeries didn't buy Mrs. Baird's until 1998. But is this because you've bought it in CA or because you used google and have no personal knowledge? My aunt and Grandparents have never heard of Mrs Baird's and they've lived in CA their whole lives.
Continuity mistake: When Gilbert is in the grocery store when Juliette Lewis comes in for the first time, Mary Steenbergen is talking to Gilbert through the shelf which is open on both sides. At the end of the scene, Gilbert is standing by the shelves and you can see the shelf is closed.
Continuity mistake: When Arnie is playing with the grasshopper in the letter box, the way he grabs the insect changes between a shot and another one.
Continuity mistake: When Gilbert and Amy are unloading the groceries onto the porch, some bags fell over but in the final shot of the scene, all the bags are standing up, even though no-one could've touched them.
Continuity mistake: At Arnie birthday party the mom is inside the home talking to Gilbert. There is a lamp beside the mom on the table every time the camera changes angles the lamp is on and then off at different times.
Continuity mistake: When Mrs. Carver comes to the store to tell Gilbert she is moving, he is ringing up groceries and the register reads $63.69. Right after she asks him what's to become of him, the register is at zero. In the next scene, it is back to $63.69.
