Better Than Chocolate (1999)

Director:

Anne Wheeler

Writer:

Peggy Thompson (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 July 1999 (Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A Delicious Comedy

Plot:

Two attractive young lesbians, Maggie and Kim, meet in Vancouver, develop a passionate romance, and move in together...

Plot Keywords:

Sex Change | Lesbian | Fire | Gay Club | Lesbianism

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Wendy Crewson	...	Lila
Karyn Dwyer	...	Maggie
Christina Cox	...	Kim
Ann-Marie MacDonald	...	Frances
Marya Delver	...	Carla
Kevin Mundy	...	Paul
Tony Nappo	...	Tony
Jay Brazeau	...	Mr. Marcus
Beatrice Zeilanger	...	Bernice (as Beatrice Zeilinger)
Peter Outerbridge	...	Judy
Gerald Varga	...	Skin Head 1
Robert Parent	...	Skin Head 2
Corrine Koslo	...	Safe Sex Advocate
Veena Sood	...	Religious Zealot
Tony Marr	...	Lila's Boss

Also Known As:

Maggie & Lila (USA) (working title)
Meilleur que le chocolat (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong sexual content, nudity and language.

Runtime:

101 min | USA:102 min (unrated version)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:(Banned) | Canada:18A | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:III | UK:15 | USA:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

British Columbia Film

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: After Judy and Lila have their duet in the condo, the boom mic dips briefly into the top of the frame.

Quotes:

Kim: That's not a kick... that's a one-two punch!
Tony: That'll put hair on your chest.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Weird Sex and Snowshoes: A Trek Through the Canadian Cinematic Psyche (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Cantata from Giumona

It's Never Too Late For Love, Even If It's Battery Operated

Better Than Chocolate is a Canadian film about the relationship between mother and daughter which turns out to be a lot closer than we're originally led to believe. As the mother, Wendy Crewson appears to be oblivious to the fact that daughter Karyn Dwyer is a lesbian.

At least that's how it appears when she drops in unannounced on her daughter and a recent new girl friend, Christina Cox. The pretext is that Dwyer has dropped out of the university, but Crewson wants to check out more than that.

Acting honors in this film go to Peter Outerbridge who plays the transgender woman Judy, formerly Jeremy. Outerbridge in his own way is playing a role as much a pioneering effort as Hillary Swank in Boys Don't Cry. Had this been a major American film, we might have been talking Oscar for him.

Outerbridge is a wise old soul who's seen life from a few different perspectives. She's been cast out by her family, kind of like Michael Dunn is Ship of Fools. Just as Dunn's parents didn't want a dwarf around and gave him spending money to constantly travel, Outerbridge's parents by him a flat precisely so he can live away from them. It's quite a scene when Judy discovers that the flat is really a kiss off. Crewson and Outerbridge aid each other in their moment of crisis.

If nothing else should have tipped her off that Dwyer was not living the 'normal' life those battery operated sex toys should have said something. Of course Crewson finds they have their uses and she who has said that sex is now being sworn off for chocolate finds that even battery operated love is better than no love at all.

Better Than Chocolate is funny and sweet and endearing all at the same time. A triple threat on the emotions from Anne Wheeler in Canada.