Like Water for Chocolate - A Recipe for Resistance

With the release in 1992 of Like Water for Chocolate, El Mariachi, and Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down, Mexican cinema was once again gaining international acclaim. In this essay I will explore in detail the curious
Mexican film, Like Water for Chocolate (Como Agua Para Chocolate). Like Water for Chocolate, upon first viewing, is likely to create a certain feeling of uneasiness in the viewer. Yet, it is doubtful that the viewer in this initial experience will notice the complex of relationships I describe herein. The analysis I describe is one arrived at after repeated viewings, analysis, and research.
Like Water for Chocolate does not lend itself well to linear analysis. To subject the film to a traditional, western analysis, or even to a strict close reading, would likely provide little insight. …