Como agua para chocolate

Plot synopsis:
Set in Mexico in 1910.Tita (Lumi Cavazos) and Rosaura (Yareli Arizmendi) live with their mother, Mamá Elena (Regina Torné). The mother has decided that Tita must stay single to take care of her when she becomes an old woman. Tita accepts her fate, although she's in love with Pedro (Marco Leonardi). Pedro and his father try to convince Elena, but she refuses. Pedro asks Elena permission to marry Rosaura instead. He intends to live as close to Tita as possible. Moreover, Tita is the main cook which prepares all the menu to be eaten at their wedding. When she is preparing the wedding cake, she cries in silence; when the guests eat that cake, they all feel nostalgic about their past lives. Eventually, Tita discovers that she can do a certain kind of magic with the dishes she prepares, and each one will be a love song for Pedro from that moment on.Tita is kept as a servant in Elena's house, where Pedro and Rosaura stay to live after the honeymoon. Rosaura and Tita don't get on too well, but Rosaura is happy because she'll be the master of the hacienda as soon as Elena dies. Rosaura gives birth to a son by Pedro. Tita ends up nursing the child and grows very fond of him. Dr. John Brown (Mario Iván Martínez) meets Tita and is obviously smitten with her. Mamá Elena soon decides that the child is bringing Tita and Pedro even closer together and decides to send Rosaura's family away. Pedro, Rosaura and the baby go to San Antonio where the baby dies because the food doesn't agree with him.Tita and Elena get into an argument and Elena hits Tita in the face with a wooden spoon. Tita flees to the dovecote where she has a breakdown. Dr. John Brown comes and takes her away to his clinic for treatment and falls deeply in love with her. He's very patient, although he knows that Tita is in love with another man. Dr. Brown tells a story of how each person has a book of matches inside them and that true love provides the oxygen for the fire but then each of us must find the thing that will ignite the first match. He also warns that we should not light all the matches at once or we will return to where we came from when we were born.María Elena is killed by rebels who one day attack the ranch. Shortly after, her ghost apparently begins to appear. It seems to pester Tita with special attention.Tita becomes engaged to John, so Rosaura doesn't feel jealous anymore. When Rosaura gives birth to her second child, she's happy because it's a girl. Rosaura talks of naming the baby after Tita and says her daughter will never marry but, in the family tradition, will stay single and take care of her, just as Mamá Elena forced Tita to do. Tita objects angrily and suggest that her sister name the baby Esperanza. An argument ensues and Tita says that eventually Rosaura will die, leaving her daughter free to do as she pleases when she becomes older.Tita talks to John and tells him she made love to Pedro and cannot marry him. John says that it doesn't matter, that he will have her if she wants him and that he'll also stand up for her if she wants Pedro. Time passes and it is now 1934 and Esperanza has grown up and is marrying Dr. Brown's son. Tita and Pedro dance together and he talks of them having a child together now that everyone is gone and his daughter is grown. A dish is served at the wedding meal that makes everyone lusty and most of the guests leave in pairs, clutching each other. The last to go is Dr. Brown.Shortly thereafter, we see Pedro and Tita at an outbuilding on the ranch. Pedro picks Tita up and carries her over the threshold like a bride. Tita and Pedro make love in a romantic atmosphere: at night, in a room full of silk-white linen and hundreds of burning candles. Pedro suddenly dies after experiencing passionate sex, presumably because he lit all the matches at once. When Tita sees what has happened, she immolates herself by swallowing matches one after the other until she too burst into flames and the two lovers are consumed by the fire.An offscreen narrator tells the audience that the whole ranch burned except for Tita's cookbook. The narrator turns out to be Esperanza's daughter and she says that Tita will always live as long as someone is cooking her recipes.

Tags: insanity, romantic, magical realism, flashback

Review:
The man who took my money was a Mexican emigre, and he saw that I was carrying a copy of the book Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel.
Tender, compassionate and very witty, like the book on which it is based, this movie celebrates Mexican culture -- not just on the food, the preparation of which forms the premise of the story, but as kind of a rollicking take on the history of the young country at the turn of the century.
(Plus, for a big change from US cinema, we get to see beautiful men and women of many shapes, sizes and colors all on the same screen.)  The acting is flawless, and the star, Lumi Cavazos, is absolutely charming, full of life and credibility.The only flaws I found in this film were minor and had to do with timing.
The fairy tale aspect of this movie is told subtly, but with a strong Hispanic sense of mysticism-- you have the evil (step)mother, the heroine as Virgin Mary, who has magical powers, unrequited love, the unobtainable prince, and other classic fairy tale elements.
The story contains so much fantasy, I thought it might be very difficult to translate it sucessfully to the screen, but the results are superb.The scene in which Tita's sister is so aroused after eating Tita's Rose Petal soup that she literally burns down their outdoor shower from her body heat and then runs naked across the plain only to be scooped up and carried away on horseback by a bandit is one of the sexiest moments ever put on film.This movie is not for everyone, but if you enjoy erotic (but NOT pornographic) fantasy, try "Like Water for Chocolate"!.
Like Water for Chocolate is a masterpiece in that it conveys the essence of our ancestors' knowledge forgotten in the fast pace of modern living.It centers around the wonder of cooking: a sacred ritual, not a boring chore; and when done right, with love, it creates magic.
Raised and taught to cook by her old Mayan nanny, Tita (exquisitely performed by Lumi Cavazos) masters the near-magical ability of transferring her love and other feelings into her creations passed into one who eats them.The characters senses are so refined, they enable everyone involved in this family drama to be tuned to the finest nuances of their world, opening the door to non-material pleasures.
Tita's virgin breasts, feeling `like dough kneaded' by strong hands, turn into mature breasts under Pedro's burning eyes (to later start lactating) - their glances, just like her food, becoming the means of communicating their forbidden love.Yet all magic becomes wasted in the face of a man's choice.
The oxygen would come from a lover's breath; the candle could be a food, a melody, a word, a caress, or a sound...' He remembers her warning, though, that `it  is important to light the matches one at a time' because otherwise the heat generated  would produce too dazzling a brilliance.Thus the wisdom of the ages, just like the power, is passed here through women and the men who are in tune with them.
And the intense interactions between the colorful characters of five generations extend to dead family members who continue to counsel or despise the living.When coming into her room with Pedro after 22 years of their waiting for each other, Tita is greeted by her long deceased nanny lighting her bed and the room with multiple candles.
The magic realism becomes a way of living in a culture connected with its heritage.I recommend Like Water for Chocolate to anyone who feels like he/she is lacking color and passion in life - if watched with an open mind and heart, this beautiful and enigmatic film will stir your senses and imagination and light up your box of matches!.
I'm greatly surprised at some of the negative comments for "Like Water for Chocolate", many of which state how it utterly failed to capture the passion or the mystical tone of Laura Esquivel's book.I suppose it's only a matter of opinion(like pretty much everything, I guess), but I thought the movie represented the book's magical realism in a great way.
This fact is also buttressed by the erotic musical score and the whole cast, who fit the characters from the novel perfectly IMO.I would recommend giving the film of "Like Water for Chocolate" a go; and trying out the book as well..
It's a tale of old traditions in Mexico and Tita, the youngest daughter, is the one doomed to follow them.The tradition is that the youngest is to stay with her mother and take care of her and remain single the rest of her life while her oldest sister gets to marry.
Later he admits to Tita that he only married her sister to be near her.The rest of the story is for you to uncover.I have never seen a more romantic scene in any movie where Gertrudis runs from the burning shower down the road and is swept into the arms of her lover and carried away.
In Spanish with English subtitles, Like Water for Chocolate has nothing to do with water or chocolate but rather the magical qualities of food when you put love into the cooking.
When making this movie I thought that left out many of the important details that were in the book, for example the importance of food which was hardly shown throughout the film.
Not one of he recipes were ever said which just made Tita's work seem like mindless acts, and never showed the love that was put into creating each one of the meals.
By reading this book you get  a much better sense of what their family lifestyle was like, and how important food actually was to the family, then watching it on film.
If you want to see a really good movie about women, food, love and life, please skip this one and watch Babette's Feast instead.
i truly loved the magical realism, and thought the director should have focused more on Titas ability to connect to people through food..
This completely screws over his story and makes a mockery of all the emotion in the film, especially when the director essentially forces this Romeo and Juliet-esq love onto the characters.
When I read the book I was mesmerized by the beautiful imagery, the combination of magic realism, love, sex and food; and I didn't expect much from this movies, but what I just saw was horrible beyond imagination.With all those materials given in the book the cinematography could've been amazing instead we're forced to watch some amateurish uninteresting pointless shots of everything.
"Like Water For Chocolate"; a book that was later made into a movie.
If you like bad acting and drama, this is the movie for you; if you want a quick, easy read and you want to use your imagination to the fullest, I would suggest the book..
Like Water For Chocolate is a film creatively filled with many symbols which convey the theme of the passionate and powerful story originally told in novel form by Laura Esquivel.
The food made by the youngest daughter and main character, Tita, passes on her feelings to the people who eat it.
He plays a much a more masculine role.Now that I am somewhat familiar with how Mexican cinema has been previously and how the stories have been depicted, I am well aware that Like Water for Chocolate put a whole new spin on it.
After reading the novel, and then comparing it to the film, I came to the conclusion that the book was more mystical and magical.
And lastly, I loved the numerous amount of magical realism in the novel, however, the film was unable to portray this.
Like Water for Chocolate is a novel based around the thoughts and experiences of the main charecter, Tita, which the reader gets to experience first hand as they read the story.
Tuesday, May 07, 2002Like Water for Chocolate is a fabulous book which encompasses a large range of human emotions by taking you on a ride through the life of Tita, and portraying the inner tensions of the de la Garza family .
'Like Water for Chocolate', is a wonderful book, filled with passion, emotion, tension, and of course food.
Tita is ethereally beautiful, Pedro tries his best to get what he wants but remains within the conventions of the era, Gertrudis follows her heart (I admired her the most) and Roseaura is just unfortunate to be the pawn in Pedro's plan.Altogether beautifully filmed and my Mexican friend was impressed that the actors got the accents spot-on for the period and the location..
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..
Perhaps the one thing that the film "Like Water For Chocolate" truly lacks is the crucial and tasty role that food plays in the wonderfully written novel by Laura Esquivel.
One other piece missing from the movie, although much more understandable, is the lack of visual effects that would have been useful for the magical realism parts of the story.
Yet, Pedro has already announced his passionate love for Tita, and in hopes of being near her, marries her older sister.
Watching the movie Like Water For Chocolate was a disappointing experience for me.
I also think that the movie was not what I was hoping for because of the way I originally pictured the characters as I read the book.
The book had such great imagery that I was able to create a sort of movie in my mind; when the film did not match the one I had imagined, I was left with a sort of disappointment.
Magic realism is a difficult genre to put into film, but director Alfonso Arau does a great job of it in Como agua para chocolate.
This novel-based film tells the story of Tita who is forbidden to marry because of an old family tradition.
One of the many elements of magic realism included in the film is Tita's cooking.
With a classic plot line of forbidden love, Como agua para chocolate comes together nicely in the end with elements of magic realism that ultimately add to the film..
When Pedro yells "I love you!" to Tita, it sounds comical and inappropriate for the situation they're in.Furthermore, the film is edited in a way that makes it look like an older Mexico.
Like Water for Chocolate is a film that has, over time, gained significant recognition for its social importance.
Laura Esquivel's novel "Like Water for Chocolate" was a quick and wonderful read; The movie on the other hand presented me with a less than average showing of an attempt to portray a very beautiful novel through the eyes of an Hollywood lens.
The food that is constantly portrayed in "Like Water for Chocolate" is not just a lack luster attempt at sharing traditional Hispanic cuisine but is of the sorts of magic.
Just like the quote from both the movie and novel "You can't just exchange tacos for enchiladas" you can't exchange a beautiful piece of literature into a masterpiece of film.
This is very important due to the nature of portraying Tita's struggle for true love against an oppressive mother, Mama Elena, and the fact that her lover was married to her eldest sister.
Although it does not have any American A-list stars in its cast, Like Water for Chocolate still manages to be a movie that is enjoyable and have relatable characters.The food in this movie is amazing.
It is romantic to watch two people who are in a "forbidden" love being together and adds to the emotion of the film.Like Water for Chocolate is a film that is historically interesting, focusing on the Mexican Revolution, sex, and food.
I simply could not wait to see the film Like Water for Chocolate, after I finished Laura Esquivel's book.
In her novel, Like Water for Chocolate, Esquivel used flowing magical realism to explore the importance of love, family, and art in Mexico.
The film Like Water for Chocolate ignites and intrigues it's audience with food, new beginnings, freedom, and of course, passion!
Originally titled Como Agua Para Chocolate, the novel Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel was very well translated from paper to picture in this Mexican film.
The film is created with one part passion, a scoop of tradition, a pinch of love and a lot of food.I would highly recommend reading the novel before viewing the film as at times I could see how it could be a little bit confusing.
The story follows Tita and the man she loves, Pedro, as she expresses her emotions through her cooking, literally, for she has no other means of expression.The novel is full of magical realism through Tita's cooking and although the film was true to the novel, the convincing elements of magical realism as written by Esquivel were much harder to swallow when being viewed in the film.
This is just one effect of Tita's impassioned food.If you have not read the novel, the film will likely not appeal to you.
Like Water for Chocolate doesn't only focus on the way food plays a part in Mexican culture, but also has a focus on tradition vs.
It focuses on family, tradition and a love like no other.It incorporates food into the entire movie and really shows you just how important it is to what is going on.
I love that the food becomes magical and can change emotions of the characters.
Overall it is a movie worth watching and if you like it you should definitely read the book.
Torn apart by an ancient family tradition, the lead characters Tita and Pedro must break these barriers and do whatever in their power, to be together.The lighting technique seemed to provide the biggest component of tone in this movie.
The coloring also suggests a rustic feel, reflective of it's historical storyline.Though, "Como Agua para Chocolate" appears to be a traditional story of romance and love, I must note that this film requires a vivid imagination and an open mind, to be able to be enjoyed by it's viewer.
In the movie Like Water For Chocolate, Tita (Lumi Cavazos) and Pedro (Marco Leonardi) are forbidden to date or get married.
I missed this movie when it was released back in 1993 but I've wanted to see it for long time because I've read and heard so much praise for it, and from the description it sounds (and tastes) like my kind of movie: "The passionate Tita (Lumi Cavazos) is in love with Pedro (Marco Leonardi), but her controlling mother (Regina Torne) forbids her from marrying him.
When Pedro instead marries her sister, Tita throws herself into her cooking -- and discovers she can transfer her emotions through the food she prepares." Passionate romance that is hot like boiling water for chocolate, delicious food that changes the people in the most amazing ways, magical realism - these are the components for a perfect cinema dish.
Like Water for Chocolate is an entertaining movie with the exotic settings and very interesting idea of expressing the repressed love, unfulfilled longing, desperation, and hope in cooking and in the ability to change the people's lives and fates through the meals they consume.
Where the movie succeeds for me, is in my wish to find and read the novel, to capture its magic to which each reader keeps referring, and to try to cook some of the Tita's dishes.
Now when I think of it, if Tita had been happily married to Pedro, she more likely would not have become such a genius in cooking and there would not have been her delicious recipes for us to enjoy..
This film is a wonderful story about the connection between food and emotions.
You will be, if you try to muddle through this mess.It's not that the story is so intelligent that it "lost" me along the way, it's more like the characters choices are so idiotic as to make you wonder what in the WORLD these people are thinking.I know nothing of the Mexican life or culture, but if this is what it is like, I'm glad I live in the US of A.
Tita, the youngest, cooks for the man she loves, the immaculately blow-dried Pedro, though he's now married to her sister and living at the family ranch.
The food looks fantastic, and if you like the idea of watching a tormented Mexican Nigella Lawson in a long frock, this is the film for you.
"Like Water for Chocolate" is the story of frustrated love that takes place on the Mexico-Texas border during the Mexican Revolution.
Like Water for Chocolate is a wicked comedy disguised as a love story..
All the parts are quite good but I can't explain why, when you put them all together, they turn this into my favorite movie of all time.Like Water for Chocolate is a wicked comedy disguised as a love story.
Like Water for Chocolate is a movie which should not be taking literal, but looking how the magical realism ties into the story.
This affects every character in the movie.More than anything, "Como agua para chocolate" ("Like Water for Chocolate" in English) is a consummate exercise in magical realism*, a common theme in Latin American literature.
Tita's way of expressing her undying love to Pedro was through food.
There so much beauty with the colors, food and music that brought the Mexican culture to life in this film "Like water for Chocolate".
on the other hand, many of the feeling do come to life on the screen, like Tita's tears, another important part of the story.