Strawberry & Chocolate
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Movie Reviews of Strawberry & Chocolate
Movie Review: Four stars for the movie, two for the DVD
Summary: 2 Stars
STRAWBERRY AND CHOCOLATE
[Fresa y Chocolate]
(Cuba/Mexico/Spain - 1992)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Ultra-Stereo
Used as an unwitting pawn by his pro-revolutionary colleagues, naive student David (Vladmir Cruz) is encouraged to develop a platonic relationship with flamboyant gay artist Diego (Jorge Perugorria), whose political allegiances have fallen under suspicion. But as their friendship deepens, David is transformed by Diego's resistance to the Cuban regime, even as the forces of oppression begin to close around them.
Though based on a short story ('El Lobo, el Bosque y el Hombre Nuevo') by screenwriter Senel Paz which explores opposite ends of a political ideology, knowledge of recent Cuban history isn't a prerequisite for viewers of STRAWBERRY AND CHOCOLATE, a small gem from co-directors Tomas Gutierrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabio. Far from a mere political tract, this is a joyous celebration of life and non-conformity, distinguished by Perugorria's extraordinary performance as the camp but dignified Diego, who rejects his friend's unquestioning loyalty to the Cuban political system that is stifling their beloved homeland. Their budding relationship is complicated by Diego's unrequited love for David, depicted here with remarkable honesty and compassion, particularly for a mainstream film.
But it's their political differences which ultimately unite the two characters, even as Diego is forced to reap the whirlwind of his public defiance. Much of the narrative unfolds within Diego's crumbling apartment building, where David enjoys a liaison with flaky neighbor Nancy (Mirta Ibarra), who introduces the inexperienced student to the joys of sexual liberation! It isn't a terribly cinematic film, but production values are solid, and the characters are so vivid, and played with such integrity, it hardly matters; this is a movie in which ideas take precedence over action, and the emotional payoff is quite powerful indeed. Beautiful music score by Jose Maria Vitier, too.
Now the bad news: Buena Vista's DVD version is incomplete, missing approximately six minutes of footage. Absent material includes a brief conversation about racism during David's first visit to Diego's apartment, and a sad little sequence in which the two characters pretend not to notice each other after meeting by accident in a bookstore. These revisions were perpetrated before the film's North American theatrical release by Buena Vista's 'art-house' subsidiary Miramax, a company which is notorious for the cavalier manner in which it treats its foreign acquisitions (their version of THE HORSEMAN ON THE ROOF is similarly incomplete). The alterations imposed on STRAWBERRY AND CHOCOLATE seem completely arbitrary, and demonstrate little more than contempt for American audiences. Four stars for the movie, two for the DVD.
For the record, the UK video version runs 105m 51s at 25 frames per second in the PAL format, which corresponds to 110m 15s at the original 24fps.
Movie Review: Dull
Summary: 1 Stars
This is a foreign film from Cuba. It's a story of a developing friendship between a gay man Diego who enjoys the finer things in life and a young Communist student. A first the student David is repelled by Diego and had to be manipulated to go to Diego's apartment. Slowly, David becomes Diego's buddy and he explores new ways at looking at life. Diego neighbor Nancy gets romantically involved with David.
Truthfully, this movie bored me. I don't care if it got nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
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