This Oscar nominated film is the story of two men who are opposites, one gay, the other straight, one a fierce communist, the other a fierce individualist, one suspicious, the other accepting, and how they come to love each other.Roger Ebert comments that "nothing unfolds as we expect. Strawberry and Chocolate is not a movie about the seduction of a body, but about the seduction of a mind. It is more interested in politics than sex — unless you count Sexual Politics, since to be homosexual in Cuba is to make an anti-authoritarian statement whether you intend it or not." I don't know anything about homosexuality in Cuba, though my guess is that it was rather taboo in 1993, much like in most of the western world. But I do know that very few Cuban films get screened in the US, and even fewer get Oscar nominations. That alone makes this film worth watching, because it exposes us to a culture that we rarely get to see... (though today -- 2017 -- travel does seem to be a bit easier)

This is a rather good and surprising Cuban movie, focusing on homosexuality in Communist Cuba. It's not the sort of movie you expect coming from Cuba and on top of that it also isn't a movie that stays on the surface but goes in into the subject real deep.It's not a movie that focuses on the physical relationship between the two main characters but more between the spiritual relationship of the two, which is a surprising approach. So, it's not a 'standard' movie about two man falling in love with each other, as you at first might expect when watching this movie. It's a movie that goes much deeper and therefor gets more layered, interesting and compelling to watch. It's great to see how the two of them grow toward each other, in a non-forced or formulaic way. It feels like a warm and very realistic movie, since it never chooses to diverse from its main plot-line and mainly focuses purely on the two main characters of the movie.Vladimir Cruz gives a good and realistic performance. But one thing that bothered me about him was that he was very popular in both male and female camp, which seemed weird and funny to me, since he really didn't looked like an handsome guy. But who knows, maybe this is the Cuban's idea of a pretty looking man. Jorge Perugorría also did a good job, although he performance as an homosexual character seemed a bit too feminine and over-the-top to me at certain points. He played the character like an obvious stereotype of a gay person but he did it in such a good and sincere way that it wasn't always a problem.I was also surprised by the look and overall atmosphere of the movie. Foreign movies, made outside of Cuba, always focus- and shows its visual beauty, of wide beaches, palms, beautiful music and people living there. It's a sort of an almost surreal and alternate world if you look at it. This movie is however more dark and gritty and shows the ugly side of Havana, both visually as with its themes and underlying comments.Some of the symbolism and underlying messages in the dialog are a bit too obvious, as if they were trying too hard, but this is perhaps the only real flaw in the movie its excellent story and directing of the movie.Don't know why the movie is often being regarded and treated as a comedy. It's above all an heavy drama but done in a light and more pleasant sort of way, but those are no reasons for me to regard this movie as a comedy. The movie uses the more European style and approach of the story and characters. So be sure what to expect when watching this movie.A great and relevant movie because of its themes, and I assume also a big step forward for gay-right and tolerance in Cuba.8/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

How often do we get to see Cuban films here in America? How many Cuban films have a gay protagonist? Strawberry and Chocolate is a wonderful Cuban film that features a glimpse into Havana and the Cuban gay subculture juxtaposed against dedicated, communist college students.David is the college student who believes in the system. Diego is a gay writer who has friends in the art world. Nancy is stuck between the two worlds, and having difficulty coping. Through his association with the others, David receives an education he wouldn't get at the university. The film is about love and desire: love of country; love of art; love between men and women; love between men - romantic and platonic. Thank you Robert Redford and Miramax for bringing this to the States

A beautiful movie for the heart. One of the most wonderful stories of friendship ever told.Jorge Perugorría as Diego is amazing. (I'd well like to see some of his other work.) It is most astonishing to see how his character develops from the limp-wristed cliché gay at the beginning to a fascinating man who gets in conflict with the regime because he is different on every level from what the system requires him to be: he is an independent spirit, a person with a genuine love for the arts, for literature, for music, he is disappointed by communist ideals - and he is also gay, by the way.Vladimir Cruz is also very fine as the young and naive David who discovers things through his friendship with Diego he'd never ever thought of: like discovering the beauty of things, of life, of poetry and music... And also being committed to another person, even though this person may seem very 'different' from oneself at first glance.The development of David's and Diego's friendship is fascinating (I wouldn't interpret anything more into it, not even in the final scene). This is also a "coming of age" tale, in a way: by his friendship with Diego, David begins to think, develops a maturity of spirit - and is also, at last, able to develop a loving and mature relationship with a woman. It is very sweet when he tells Diego: "No-one will hurt her. She is with me."A true gem of a film. I recommend it to everyone.