Customer Reviews

Better Than Chocolate

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I laughed most of the way through this movie... although several people have criticized this movie for its lack of realism and superficial characters, I think they've missed the point - that's *precisely* what makes this film so entertaining - the characters are beautiful satiric exaggerations, yet they are still handled with a gentleness that allows them to be both likeable and sympathetic. And while the plot tends toward sugary optimism, its sharp humour carries the film through. Thoroughly enjoyable!

This movie will seem very familiar to most long-time movie watchers as it is in many ways a remake of the vintage screwball comedies of the early '30's but with a decidedly '90's twist.

The heroine of the film is Maggie, a young woman who has dropped out of university to try and find herself as an artist. She also supplements her income from painting by working at a bookstore which serves the LesBiGayT (Lesbian-Bisexual-Gay-Transsexual) community of a small British Columbian town.

Maggie's life is greatly complicated when, on the same day, she begins to fall in love with an itinerant painter named Kim, and she receives word that her mother and teenage brother are going to be coming to town to stay with her. This is particularly problematic because Maggie hasn't disclosed her sexual orientation to her family.

A certain amount of predictable hijinks ensue as Maggie tries to keep her family from deducing the truth about her relationship with Kim. She also, of course, must keep them from figuring out that anything is "out-of-place" about her friends and co-workers. As well, there are several sub-plots introduced to give the film more political relevancy, including Canada's strict censorship laws and the subject of anti-transsexual discrimination in the LesBiGayT community, however they are not especially well developed.

In conclusion, this film is very funny at some points, but moves very predictably at others. It is a rather light-hearted take on lesbian romance and coming-out issues, but the sub-plots occasionally weigh it down. Since most of the sub-plots contained enough potential to be films of their own, the film-makers could have dropped some of them from this picture to spend more time exploring Maggie and Kim's relationship. That said, I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys romantic comedies and has an open mind.

This little gem is a delight whether you are gay or straight. The characters are beautifully portrayed by the well chosen cast. Peter Outerbridge is brilliant as Judy. His wonderful performance placed him on my "most admired" actors list. All the characters were not only lovable but believable. What a marvelous blend of laughter, tears, and insight into a world that is so misunderstood and much maligned. A triumph for all involved, and a must for women everywhere who need chocolate to survive life's ups and downs.

I used to own the rated VHS version and was put off by the way the initial sex/love scene was edited.It always seemed contrived.This is a very cute movie,with a happy ending which is so rarely the case in lesbian movies.It's a feel good movie that might be lacking intellectual stimulation but has one of the most visually beautiful and inspiring love scene: I'm talking about the body painting scene.

First class entertainment. BTC is one of the pitifully few Happy Ever After lesbian love movies, in that the two women neither die (High Art, Gia), nor fall into the safety net of "Confused girl marries guy in the end".

While the film deals with many important issues, including the Transgender question, it is clearly out to entertain at every level. One of the highlights is Peter Outerbridge's "I'm Not An Effing Drag Queen" cabaret performance, concerning a pre-op transsexual who is outraged at the thought of being considered a mere cross dresser.

In an industry in which Xena has yet to nail Gabby, (we can still hope) the love scenes in BTC are tastefully erotic and very believable. Yet another movie that proves that you don't need a big budget and star names to create superb end product.

A powerful coming of age lesbian drama about censorship that should be viewed by all showcasing the hypocrisy of the law.

A great flick even if you're gay.

This is a movie you can watch over and over!!I love it, at last a fun lesbian film with some decent love scenes. The movie is centred around Maggie a cute, young woman with a neurotic mother who is coming (with her brother) for a visit. Maggie is living in the bookshop where she works and has just met Kim played by gorgeous Christina Cox! (who I'm sure I saw in a crowd shot of Lilith Fair) They start a relationship just as Maggie has managed to sub-let an apartment and her family arrive.
Other fun and interesting characters include (Judy) a transexual, the bookstore owner and a bisexual, nyphomiac who also works at the bookstore. Once you have seen this movie a few times try watching it with the Director's Commentary which I found very interesting.

The label on the movie is overdone very much. ONLY buy this movie if your looking for a good lesbian dramatic movie.
Maggie (Karyn Dwyer) & Kim (Christina Cox) are both wonderful in the movie. It just wasn't what I expected it to be.
[one review] says its: "SEXY! DELIGHTFULLY EROTIC!" After reading that review, I don't know about you but I'm looking for something a bit more than drama, and its not there.

"Better than Chocolate" hits every touching,
exciting angle of lesbian 'first love.' Wow,
if we could only bottle those feelings of
raw physical desire. And Christina Cox, what
a body!

A beautifully made movie.
This is a must for every lesbian who
remembers falling in love. Made me smile from
ear to ear!

Upon watching the first few minutes you realize that you have entered a genre in pictures that most heterosexuals as myself normally would not have an interest in. Mostly, because of the saturation (endless) of one dimentional characters most mainstream movies make of gays and lesbians in their story lines. Surprise!...almost from the beginning your attracted to watch these characters grow through a series of layers of plots and situations that are credible and well explained. The sex depicted is HOT! and attractive to see. Finally, a pleasant ending is woven by the several subplots leaving the spectators wanting a sequel.