Strawberry and Chocolate (1994)
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Strawberry and Chocolate Movie Review
Strawberry and Chocolate is a 1994 Cuban drama film directed by Tomas Gutierrez Alea and starring Jorge Perugorria and Vladimir Cruz. It’s truly a wonderful flick.
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“You’re so beautiful.
The only problem is you’re not gay.
Nobody’s perfect“
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Diego is a flamboyant gay artist. He meets David who is a straight communist. They start a troublesome relationship that blossoms into true understanding friendship. This seemingly simplistic storyline definitely starts out simple, but becomes so complex and even deep afterwards that I was really taken aback by its sheer power, subtle sentimentality and thematic richness.
The film is emotionally highly rewarding as its characters are so highly developed that I cared for both of them by the end of the movie and their relationship is so subtly conveyed as we come to watch it grow and become something truly special. That’s why I found those last couple of sequences and the dialogue between the two incredibly heartwarming. That hug near the end was beautiful.
Diego is such a fantastic character. Yes, he’s flamboyant, theatrical and campy, but also much more than that as he’s immensely smart, sophisticated and caring. And the cliché that is the portrayal of homosexual men in the last couple of decades as macho and very manly made me appreciate Diego so much more, especially as he’s simply a lot of fun and with a giant heart too.
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David is a bit unlikable at first, but eventually becomes quite endearing. He’s a wonderful example for all the straight men out there and a great role model. Jorge Perugorria is good in his role, but the emphasis is more on his looks whereas Vladimir Cruz gave a powerful, highly emotive performance himself. As for the other characters, Nancy is the best and most likable one, but the movie is mostly a chamber piece with the emphasis mostly being just on these two which I loved.
So the movie is quite sentimental, but in all the right ways as it’s particularly subtle in its approach and so nuanced and realistic that the emotion was very much earned. As for the realism, yes, the film is very realistic, but not in the circumstances of David coming to Diego’s apartment which were too unrealistic and I did not buy them at all. The same goes for some of Nancy’s scenes and the film can be a bit manipulative in certain scenarios.
But for the most part, it’s very grounded in reality, especially in its dialogue which is simply fantastic. The movie is highly sensual in how it’s filmed in particular, but above all else it eroticizes the mind instead of the body which was a great choice. It’s also an almost essential lesson into Cuban politics and mentality. It presents the clash between free-thinking and communist, patriotic and non-patriotic in such an impactful manner.
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Technically speaking, the cinematography is excellent, the direction is very strong and the pacing is top-notch with only a couple of scenes being slightly less interesting, but most are very involving. It should prove much more relatable to Cubans, but it’s still a rewarding experience to all of the other nations too. Strawberry and Chocolate’s biggest strength, however, is its originality in script. It takes such an unexpected turn in its second half that led to a much more engaging, powerful and almost even unforgettable film that ranks among the finest LGBT dramas ever made.
With excellent dialogue, a strongly emotive turn from Vladimir Cruz, superb cinematography and an emotionally rewarding ending, Strawberry and Chocolate is an all around amazing Cuban drama that is especially powerful in its nuanced characterization, subtle emotion and an original storyline which for once takes unexpected turns and scenarios, leading to a highly memorable, authentic watch.
