Like Water for Chocolate (Como Agua para Chocolate) (1993)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Mark H

  
  A young woman is forbidden to marry the man she loves by her domineering mother. Mamá Elena insists Tita de la Garza honor a timeworn tradition which dictates the youngest daughter must not marry so she may care for her aging mother instead. Established Mexican character actor Alfonso… More
  A young woman is forbidden to marry the man she loves by her domineering mother. Mamá Elena insists Tita de la Garza honor a timeworn tradition which dictates the youngest daughter must not marry so she may care for her aging mother instead. Established Mexican character actor Alfonso Arau (The Wild Bunch, Romancing the Stone) directs this adaptation of Laura Esquivel's debut novel. The two were married at the time. The title comes from a Latin American expression. In these countries, hot chocolate is made with water instead of milk. The phrase refers to someone who has reached their boiling point, in this case it could refer to anger, but also repressed sexuality. Tita is like water ready to be used for hot chocolate. What makes the picture so compelling is the appeal of our central heroine. Actress Lumi Cavazos is gripping as Tita. By keeping her emotions bottled up, her meals are essentially the only way she has to express herself. On the surface she seems passive at first, but she remains a fundamentally passionate individual. Her story is rather epic in scope and the many people that she meets along the way are involving. The relationships with her overbearing mother and her true love Pedro, are affecting but so is her relationship with Dr. Brown, her sister's obstetrician. If there's one thing a romance needs is heart and Like Water for Chocolate has that in spades.

• Jennifer D

  
  I thought the book was better...

• Kylie B

  
  I was recommended to watch this by a friend who had studied the book. I didn't really like it despite knowing so much about the main storyline (or perhaps because of it). I couldn't really get past how much of a stone-cold bitch the mother was, and I didn't really like… More
  I was recommended to watch this by a friend who had studied the book. I didn't really like it despite knowing so much about the main storyline (or perhaps because of it). I couldn't really get past how much of a stone-cold bitch the mother was, and I didn't really like the ending either. I'd seen the 'food affected by feelings of the cook' premise before in an American film (Simply Irresistible), which despite being utterly frivolous in comparison I think I prefer.

• Cindy I

  
  LIked this pretty well -- I can relate to food in a lustful way just like these folks -- but it loses 1/2 a star because I hated the ending.

• Cassandra M

  
  I love historical movies set in Mexico and this wonderful movie shown on BBC last night simply reinforced that feeling. The Director, Arau, laid before the viewer a magical cornucopia of settings and in this case, tastes, that tempted the eye as well as a palette that had to remain… More
  I love historical movies set in Mexico and this wonderful movie shown on BBC last night simply reinforced that feeling. The Director, Arau, laid before the viewer a magical cornucopia of settings and in this case, tastes, that tempted the eye as well as a palette that had to remain unfulfilled. Esquivel's novel and subsequent movie script were superb and were certainly not the normal fare dished out by Hollywood. Berstein and Luezki's rich cinematography painted a superb background upon which the rich character development and plot could be traced. There are a few movies set around this revolutionary period in late Mexican history and i have loved everyone that i have seen-this is certainly no exception. Like Water For Chocolate is a movie lover's movie and I would highly recommend anyone with a interest in or love for Mexico to make an effort to seek out this gem.

• Nani V

  
  Loved the book, the film was pretty good also.

• Tim S

  
  The two stars are for the cinematography, which was beautiful. But I have absolutely no idea what was happening the last twenty minutes. There are some sequences that play really well. But the rest is a mess. Jessica is slowly losing her Netflix privileges.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Latin american magic realism at its best. charming, extremely enjoyable and faithful to the novel.

• Elvira B

  
  The movie is visually otherworldly, blending sepia tones with magic realism (oddly enough). The storyline from Laura Esquivel's novel is.. um, magical. The performances are not nearly as good as the photography, at least not from Pedro or Tita. If able to look beyond that gap,… More
  The movie is visually otherworldly, blending sepia tones with magic realism (oddly enough). The storyline from Laura Esquivel's novel is.. um, magical. The performances are not nearly as good as the photography, at least not from Pedro or Tita. If able to look beyond that gap, the movie is beautiful beyond words.

• Leigh R

  
  Marvelously done.

• Donnie D

  
  Now i´m not a big fan of Romance movies mostly because I feel they're not realistic and display the wrong image of Romance. Like Water For Chocolate offers what so many Romance movies nowadays lack, true depiction of Romance, a romantic story that's memorable, and capturing… More
  Now i´m not a big fan of Romance movies mostly because I feel they're not realistic and display the wrong image of Romance. Like Water For Chocolate offers what so many Romance movies nowadays lack, true depiction of Romance, a romantic story that's memorable, and capturing your emotions as you watch this movie. This movie is about how life used to be in Mexico. It is a love story between Pedro and Tita, and why they coudn't get married because Tita's mother wanted her oldest daughter to get married first, and have Tita to stay and take care of her. It shows how marriage was imposed on those times, and how a love between two people can change everything. It's was just magical seeing this story unfold on screen, I literally found myself going through many different emotions while watching this. Everything just works so well in this movie from the wonderful cast to the tiniest details. There is so many ways describe how I felt while watching this movie, but so little words that can fully express what a incredible experience it is. It brought me smiles and tears to my eyes, that's rare for me when I watch a movie. Like Water For Chocolate is a classic Romance story that powerfully depicts Romance and will change your views on it. In a time with so many awful Romance movies, you owe it yo yourself to watch this and reminds yourself why you like Romance in movies and why you cherish love in your life.

• Fascade F

  
  Truly one of those timeless inevitable twist of fate until the end love stories that you will never forget. A young woman's mother goes out of her way to make sure that the romance in her live daughter's life remains sour because her own was denied happiness. Even when the… More
  Truly one of those timeless inevitable twist of fate until the end love stories that you will never forget. A young woman's mother goes out of her way to make sure that the romance in her live daughter's life remains sour because her own was denied happiness. Even when the one true love that the daughter is infatuated in steps up to the plate to declare his love for her, the mother makes a suggestion...that he marries an alternative choice...her daughter's sister!!! He agrees to do so to remain close to his true love, her sister. So to handle the frustration that the mother has caused the spurned sister develops a soulful love for cooking that in turns assists her in burying her grief that her mother has bestowed upon her. Truly a classic love story filled with lessons in life and cooking..that are worth remembering. Please see this!

• Bill C

  
  This was my first experience in Mexican cinema. Several of the imagines in the movie are still clear in my mind from the first time I had seen it when it first came out in 1992. I have seen many other Latin cinema pieces and the structure reminds me of “Life in the time of cholera”… More
  This was my first experience in Mexican cinema. Several of the imagines in the movie are still clear in my mind from the first time I had seen it when it first came out in 1992. I have seen many other Latin cinema pieces and the structure reminds me of “Life in the time of cholera” except more surrealistic. This movie like many other Latin cinema the characters do not develop over time but are beset by the trials of love and life. Character in the story are more extreme representation of extreme facets of character. The use of symbolism fills in for the lack of character development. Tita is the main character in the story she is the 2nd daughter of a very strict Blueblood mother. Juxtapose her mother with Nacha the family’s who is a meso-american maid who teaches here cooking and magical properties of cooking, especially the properties of chiles to influence other characters moods and wellbeing. The movie is set in the time of the Mexican revolution. At that time it was expected of the youngest daughter was to take care of here parent until they die. Tita meet young Pedro and falls in love, however her mother forbids there marriage and Pedro in some misguided idea of right marries Tita’s homely older sister to be near Tita. Tita concocts a desert for here sister that gave her perpetual uncontrolled flatulence and bad breath to get back at here sister for marrying here love. In the mean time her mother passes away and she marries the pale skin intellectual doctor John Brown who is polar opposite of Pedro’s dark skin and raw emotionality. Tita’s younger sister, Gertudis, reject her mothers tradition. The Mexican rebels raid their house and kidnap the naked Gerteudis horseback while she is taking a shower in there outdoor shower facility. Months later Gertrudis return with the same troop of men as their general.

• Daisy M

  
  <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i32.tinypic.com/27yrew0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> Agua para Chocolate was a Mexican movie, played in the early time… More
  <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i32.tinypic.com/27yrew0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> Agua para Chocolate was a Mexican movie, played in the early time during the Mexican Revolution. It was a movie for romantic movie lovers filmed from the book with similar title. Like Water for Chocolate has nothing to do with water or chocolate but the magical qualities of food when you put love into the cooking. Its romantic, erotic, dramatic and very funny and highly recommended.

• Remi L

  
  I was compelled to watch it in my Spanish class. Preferred the book

• Leo L

  
  A great movie.

• Tom S

  
  I'm gonna take care to steer clear of the Quail with Rose Petal sauce...so I don't end up like Gertrudis.

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