Year:
1995
Studio:
Imagine Entertainment
Movie:
2/5
DVD:
0/5
Chinese Chocolate
is a foreign movie filmed in Toronto I assume since that's where the
story is based. Primarily it's about two Chinese women who arrive in
Toronto. Camille (Shirley Cui) is joining her (unknown to her,
cheating) husband. But he is killed in a car crash on the way to the
airport. Her life is turned upside down and now she has to figure out
how to stay in Canada and send for her son.
Jesse (Diana Peng) is a pretty foreign exchange student. Newly arrived
in Toronto, she is immediately taken advantage of. Then her funding is
taken and she's stranded looking for any financial help in order to
stay in Canada.
Both women basically prostitute themselves in order to gain financial
stability and the all-important Green Card or Visa they need to stay in
Canada. Camille does it by ensnaring a man, getting pregnant and then
getting him to marry her. Jesse is more obvious about it, using men to
give her gifts and security.
They're not bad people. The movie paints them as desperate women who
have to do certain things in order to gain what they need (not want,
actual need). Jesse especially towards the end of the movie is quite
sick with herself and tries to commit suicide. Meanwhile Camille is
able to gain her financial freedom and finally does not have to depend
on a man.
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There are
other people who we see less of. Chinese people who adapt in different
ways in order to survive and stay here and not have to go back to
China. And all the characters sort of interact with the other
characters throughout the movie. It's a bit confusing at times.
The movie seems to be about immigrants acclimating to a new country.
The lengths that people go to in order to live in the promised land.
The sacrifices people make. And the things that people are willing to
do to each other, to take advantage of each other. There is a lot of
infidelity in the movie.
Overall I thought it was a merely ok movie. It's kind of a depressing
movie. Although I'm sure that's the way it is for some people, the
movie presents one view of immigrants. I'm not sure if I could
recommend this movie.
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