Like Water for Chocolate (Film)

The film version of Laura Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate has one advantage over the book: the audience sees the delectable dishes prepared by Tita. Unfortunately, the film is less centered on the recipes than the novel, but retains the sensuousness of the source material. It's also interesting how the film addresses "race" in a way that's quite different from the novel. Gertrudis, the product of Mama Elena's affair with a mulatto (and, in the film, the cause of Tita's father), is supposedly 'black' and this causes a rife between Gertrudis and her general in the Mexican Revolution. Instead of addressing that issue of initial racism or obsession with bloodline purity, Gertrudis and her lover never separate because of her "mulatto" lineage. 

If I remember correctly, the film also changes the reason why Mama Elena's husband dies: he hears the rumors that Gertrudis is really the daughter of a black man, not his, and passes away. This is far from unusual in this magical realist love story. Ghosts, emotions, and seemingly supernatural things are expected, common occurrences for Tita and her world. As in the novel, everyone accepts it, with some humor for the reader or audience (the collective vomiting scene, for example). 

As a film standing on its own, I actually find it quite average. There is little ingenuity in the cinematography, so its strength comes from its adherence to the plot and some dialogue from Esquivel's novel. For those interested in learning about Mexico during the Mexican Revolution, cross-border relationships with Texas, or the gender roles of women. Again, I think the film, like the novel, reaffirms certain "racial" stereotypes about blacks and indigenous people, but overall, certainly worth watching for the delicious meals and appealing romance.