Like Water For Chocolate

I first saw Like Water for Chocolate during my freshman year at Signs & Wonders, so it was fun to be able to revisit it my senior year. This was one of my first exposures to the genre of magical realism, so in a way it has been one of my main references for it over the past three years.

When the film starts out we learn that Tita, our main character, is the youngest daughter in a traditional Mexican family and is forbidden to marry, as her duty is to take care of her mother until she dies. This is a believeable and grounded setup within the context of the family. Later on in the film, however, we’re introduced to the magical concept that whenever people eat food that Tita prepares, they begin to feel the emotions that Tita felt when she cooked it. This is played for laughs once or twice, but it eventually becomes a way for Tita to express her passion for Pedro. This premise makes for an enjoyable and surprisingly touching film.