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Like Water for Chocolate

Play trailer Poster for Like Water for Chocolate 1992 2h 24m Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 48 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
The youngest daughter in her family, the beautiful Tita (Lumi Cavazos) is forbidden to marry her true love, Pedro (Marco Leonardi). Since tradition dictates that Tita must care for her mother, Pedro weds her older sister, Rosaura (Yareli Arizmendi), though he still loves Tita. The situation creates much tension in the family, and Tita's powerful emotions begin to surface in fantastical ways through her cooking. As the years pass, unusual circumstances test the enduring love of Pedro and Tita.
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Like Water for Chocolate

Like Water for Chocolate

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Critics Consensus

Like Water for Chocolate plays to the senses with a richly rewarding romance that indulges in magical realism to intoxicating effect.

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Critics Reviews

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Peter Stack San Francisco Chronicle Laura Esquivel's wonderful novel about the powers of passion has been adapted for the screen by her husband, director Alfonso Arau. The result is as rich and savory as Mexican hot chocolate. Rated: 4/4 Jan 11, 2023 Full Review Michael Wilmington Los Angeles Times It tells a dark, sad, horrific but heartening story in sweet, gleaming images that tickle ribs, quicken senses and awaken hungers. There's just one word for it: Scrumptious. Jun 11, 2020 Full Review Angie Errigo Empire Magazine Deliciously offbeat and bittersweet, it is, entirely appropriately, a treat. Rated: 4/5 Jun 11, 2020 Full Review Eleanor Ringel Cater Saporta Report (Atlanta) The result is a movie as magical as it is mouth-watering. Oct 9, 2023 Full Review Augusto Martínez Torres El Pais (Spain) The film's biggest setback is its script in which the density is felt next to its runtime. [Full Review in Spanish] Jun 11, 2020 Full Review Fotogramas Staff Fotogramas An imaginative reconstruction of the traditional Mexican melodrama that is one of the year's best surprises. [Full Review in Spanish] Rated: 4/5 Jun 11, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Christine B This movie has been one of my favorites for the past 25 years, at least. Beautifully acted and just a creative storyline. It's worth watching a movie with subtitles when it's this good. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/27/25 Full Review Alejandro E Puede ser que peque de sobrevalorada. La cuestión es que este drama generacional sobre el arte de cocinar, y el cargar el peso de vivir con una madre posesiva tiene un magnetismo que no cabe a discusión, y se deja ver con agrado. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/05/25 Full Review S R A bizarre romantic drama based around old Mexico near the TX border, with a family settling an area and dealing with a younger daughter who attracts men easily. So it gets into her affairs with symbolism and metaphors galore. It also had an odd narrative that seemed childish in its storytelling. Despite me being uncomfortable with the motivations that felt immoral, I still was curious what would happen. NYT 1000 movies list and SLC DVD. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 05/03/25 Full Review Luis F Stupid movie. Watch something else. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 12/31/24 Full Review Dalia S Una de las mejores adaptaciones de la literatura mexicana plasmadas en el cine. Como agua para Chocolate, representa el realismo mágico a través de la gastronomía mexicana, el simbolismo que relaciona las emociones de Tita con la comida es muy original. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/09/24 Full Review Juan Sebastian Q i don't understand why mama elena don't whan tita to get merry until she dies and while she dead why elena still does not let tita to get merry? this story makes no sense Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/21/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Like Water for Chocolate

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Cast & Crew

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Alfonso Arau

Director

Lumi Cavazos

Tita

Marco Leonardi

Pedro

Regina Torné

Mamá Elena

Mario Iván Martínez

Doctor John Brown

Ada Carrasco

Nacha

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Like Water for Chocolate

Like Water for Chocolate (1992) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The youngest daughter in her family, the beautiful Tita (Lumi Cavazos) is forbidden to marry her true love, Pedro (Marco Leonardi). Since tradition dictates that Tita must care for her mother, Pedro weds her older sister, Rosaura (Yareli Arizmendi), though he still loves Tita. The situation creates much tension in the family, and Tita's powerful emotions begin to surface in fantastical ways through her cooking. As the years pass, unusual circumstances test the enduring love of Pedro and Tita.
Director
Alfonso Arau
Producer
Alfonso Arau
Screenwriter
Laura Esquivel
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Arau Films Internacional
Genre
Romance
Original Language
Spanish
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 27, 1992, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 17, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$14.0M
Runtime
2h 24m
Sound Mix
Stereo, Surround
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