Better Than Chocolate

Jennifer:

Photo courtesy of ia.media-imbd.com

“But what happened to Todd?” Ah, the words of a mother in denial. In Anne Wheeler’s Better Than Chocolate, the mother’s role appeared to be the most noteworthy (not of course because she reminds me of anyone I know). At the start of the film, she calls her daughter and seems concerned about her withdrawing from school. However, it was not long before she broke down about her own life and her recent learning of her husband’s affair. Without letting her daughter get a word in edgewise, she invited herself to move into her daughter’s apartment.

Upon arrival and over the course of the next few days, we watch as she expresses her own disappointments about her life and how her children turned out. She frequently comments on her daughter’s clothing, yet seems to still be in denial about her sexuality, ignoring the obviously intimate relationship she has with Kim, Maggy’s rather new live-in lover. Lila’s trouble with accepting her daughter’s sexuality did, however, help her liberate herself and explore her own sexuality by pleasing herself with what she assumed were her daughter’s sex toys. I must mention I was a bit surprised by the use of sex toys and even masturbation itself as these are taboo subjects not often seen in film.

This scene was quite interesting in that Maggie’s mother, Lila, had previously said that because she would no longer be having sex, all she had left in life to make her feel better was chocolate. She accidentally drops one of the chocolates under the bed and coincidentally finds the box of pleasures.  At this point, I wasn’t certain as to what was “better than chocolate”. Sex? Seemed like it. However, it becomes apparent toward the end that love was indeed what the director had been looking to show, a theme that can be somewhat cliché, but according to reviews, many viewers enjoyed.

The development of Lila’s relationship with Judy, a male to female transvestite, only added to Lila’s oh so familiar personality. She sought comfort and companionship from Judy. She confided in Judy and considered her someone she could relate to and who not only understood her, but understood her as a woman, not knowing she was once a man. I found it rather satisfying when Lila learned of Judy’s original name, Jeremy. See, they are normal people, too!! Their relationship also played a significant role in Lila’s acceptance of her daughter’s queerness and obvious love for Kim. Although Lila was not one of the main characters, her role was essential in the execution of the plot and seems to have left the greatest impression.