Review of Like Water for Chocolate (1992) by Christine P — 01 Mar 2010

"Like Water for Chocolate" is based on Laura Esquivel's novel of the same name, which I read a few years back. Luckily, Esquivel also penned the screenplay for the film, so the feel of the story and the qualities of the characters seemed to be pretty consistent with the original.

Tita is the youngest daughter of a well-to-do family living a ranch on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande during the Mexican Revolution. She's raised knowing that she may never marry, and instead must take care of her mother until her last breath. That tradition gets challenged when star-crossed lovers Pablo and Tita find moments to escape to see each other, even though he's married to her sister. This tension finds its way into every aspect of their lives and the life of the family, which is aching with anger and resentment.

This particular novel/movie is unique because it takes a gastronomic spin on drama. In the book, each chapter begins with a different recipe that Tita prepares, and follows the effects of her mood on anyone who eats the delicious food. I thought the movie did a nice job of capturing the over-the-top food-inspired mayhem that made the narration conscious of its own delightful absurdity. The score seemed to fit very well, although it did have a tv-movie sound about it. Very imaginative movie. I recommend it, if you like something a little different.

Warning: lots and lots of nudity. Sex too. So, don't show it to kids or watch it with your parents, unless you like awkward moments.