Como Agua Para Chocolate review

Title: Como Agua Para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate)
Director: Alfonso Arau
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country of Origin: Mexico 
Year: 1992
Rating: R
Time: 123 minutes
Grade: ★★★

Como Agua Para Chocolate is a 1992 Mexican film directed by Alfonso Arau. It tells the enchanting love story of Tita (Luma Cavazos) who must never marry or bear children in order to take care of her mother due to being the youngest daughter in her family. To make matters worse, she falls in love with the dashing Pedro Muzquiz (Marco Leonardi) who instead marries Tita's sister as a way to stay close to her. Unable to physically love him, her feelings come to life in the food she prepares and causes all those who eat to feel the same way she does. 

The film touches on themes of magical realism with exaggerations, ghosts, superstition and of course, magical food that makes you go crazy with emotions. It's never really explained in the film the reason why Tita has these powers but the way the characters react, you can see how intense this food is. The narration is told by Tita's descendant who tells the story of Tita. If I had to compare it with a film, it would Big Fish. It's magical but plausible; not too magical to make the audience question the logic behind. In the sense, you can see the beauty in the film. It doesn't make sense but it doesn't need to be so black and white;

that's its charm. 

The only argument I would have in this film is that it's slow paced so at times, you might wander off a bit while watching the movie (or perhaps it's my own impatience). My other critique is the film ending which seems rather anti-climatic? However, it's a film filled with passion and love along with delicious shots of food that will leave you hungry. It's available right now on Netflix and it was adapted by the novel by the same name. Check either one out, but I recommend the novel first. 

Trailer: