Like Water for Chocolate (R, 1992)

common sense media says

Passionate tale of lost and regained love.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this is a mature and sensual movie. While not sexually explicit, sexual desire and threats of infidelity drive the entire film. It also includes a rather abusive (both physically and emotionally) mother/daughter relationship.

Positive messages: While the film shows great passion and some very strong women, it also portrays a constant presence of infidelity on the part of both men and women.
Violence: The mother abuses her youngest daughter both physically and emotionally, attempted rape occurs, and someone catches on fire.
Sex: Constant sense of sexual tension, some overt moments of eroticism (but tasteful), male and female frontal nudity, and multiple instances of childbirth
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Occasional drinking with meals and during rabblerousing by revolutionaries.

More on Like Water for Chocolate

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about issues such as family duty, generational conflict, gender equality, and cultural traditions. Parents may also want to discuss how this film's use of magical realism differs from more traditional American writing and filmmaking.

What's the story?

What's the story?

The youngest of three daughters in a Mexican family, Tita, is doomed by tradition to remain a virgin and forever care for her mother. LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE depicts the emotional struggle suffered by Tita following her loss of and longing for Pedro, and her attempts to escape the controlling fists of her mother. The film works through a series of highly charged relationships utilizing uncommon visual elegance and a sense of mysticism that visually depicts the Mexican literary tradition of magical realism.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

This movie was filmbed mostly in Spanish with English subtitles. Based on the first novel by screenwriter Laura Esquivel, it presents a visually stunning tale of repressed passion, lost love, and the magical powers of food.

Like Water for Chocolate swept the Ariel Awards (Mexico's equivalent to the American Oscars), garnering awards for best picture, acting, direction, screenplay, cinematography, set design, and production design. From story to execution, it exudes quality.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Miramax
Director: Alfonso Arau
Cast: Caroline Aaron, Lumi Cavazos, Marco Leonardi, Regina Tome
Genre: Drama
Run time: 123 minutes
Theatrical release: January 1, 1992
DVD release: August 10, 1999
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: sexuality

This review was written by Kelly Kessler
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

KidneyLoveForever
kid, 13 years old
 
Amazing:)
I love it!!! I read the book for spanish, and it's amazing!!! The great thing about the movie is that the plot is very faithful to the book's plot, because the author actually wrote the script. It is also amazing to see how Esquivel links food to life; after I finished the book, I was pursued by a NEEEED to cook:)

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