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Better Than Chocolate

 Better Than Chocolate
type
TVTItem
 Better Than Chocolate
label
Better Than Chocolate
 Better Than Chocolate
page
BetterThanChocolate
 Better Than Chocolate
comment
Better Than Chocolate is a 1999 Canadian romantic comedy/ slice of life movie. It centers around Maggie, a 19-year old college dropout and lesbian who's just found her true love, an artist named Kim. And then her mother calls and says that she's getting divorced from her husband and that she and Maggie's brother Paul are going to come stay with Maggie. And Maggie's not out to her mother. Combined with that, the adult bookstore where Maggie works is being hassled by the authorities, who have confiscated a shipment of "obscene" books at the border, and proprietor Frances and trans woman Judy are both attracted to each other but too timid to do anything about it. It all comes to a head in a protest put on by Maggie which takes some rather unexpected turns.
 Better Than Chocolate
fetched
2023-11-11T11:00:07Z
 Better Than Chocolate
parsed
2023-11-11T11:00:07Z
 Better Than Chocolate
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Better Than Chocolate / int_149f7447
type
Rescue Romance
 Better Than Chocolate / int_149f7447
comment
Rescue Romance: Kim and Maggie first meet when the former saves the latter from skinheads harassing her.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_149f7447
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_149f7447
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_149f7447
 Better Than Chocolate / int_20860a0e
type
Punch-Clock Villain
 Better Than Chocolate / int_20860a0e
comment
Punch-Clock Villain: An acquaintance of Frances, Bernice, works as a security officer at the customs office and throws Frances and Maggie out during their visit. But when customs decides to execute a raid of 10% Books, Bernice steals a copy of the warrant and gives it to Frances to warn her.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_20860a0e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_20860a0e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_20860a0e
 Better Than Chocolate / int_24321e44
type
Only Sane Man
 Better Than Chocolate / int_24321e44
comment
Only Sane Man / Team Mom: Judy, who seems to be in charge of keeping the cast's collective sanity in tact. Some would go as far as to say she does the same for the audience.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_24321e44
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_24321e44
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_24321e44
 Better Than Chocolate / int_312b02ac
type
Lipstick Lesbian
 Better Than Chocolate / int_312b02ac
comment
Lipstick Lesbian: Maggie definitely, who's a feminine lesbian with long hair and girly air generally. Frances would be more chapstick, as though she's got short hair and more masculine clothing, she's not really butch in other ways. Judy, who's also transgender, is a lesbian with long hair, usually dressed in a blouse at least if not a full dress, while always making herself up.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_312b02ac
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_312b02ac
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_312b02ac
 Better Than Chocolate / int_460ffa29
type
Transparent Closet
 Better Than Chocolate / int_460ffa29
comment
Transparent Closet: Maggie is pretty obviously lesbian, though at first she thinks her family are completely oblivious. It turns out that her brother's aware early on (he saw her having sex with Kim on the couch) then her mom too figures it out when she finds them together wearing only their lingerie getting up hurriedly from bed. Because of this, Maggie never specifically has to come out in the end with them, and both are accepting of her sexuality.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_460ffa29
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_460ffa29
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_460ffa29
 Better Than Chocolate / int_4781adbb
type
Jerk with a Heart of Gold
 Better Than Chocolate / int_4781adbb
comment
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Tony, the cafe owner next to 10% Books, although mildly homophobic (he doesn't like Kim and Maggie making out in his cafe, and he threatens to call his lawyer when Maggie does her performance piece), is a generally nice guy.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_4781adbb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_4781adbb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_4781adbb
 Better Than Chocolate / int_4e91b042
type
Making Love in All the Wrong Places
 Better Than Chocolate / int_4e91b042
comment
Making Love in All the Wrong Places: Paul and Carla have sex on a bench by the docks.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_4e91b042
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_4e91b042
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_4e91b042
 Better Than Chocolate / int_54163958
type
Shower of Love
 Better Than Chocolate / int_54163958
comment
Shower of Love: Maggie and Kim make out in the shower while washing themselves off after the naked painting they did.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_54163958
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_54163958
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_54163958
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5535272c
type
Coolest Club Ever
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5535272c
comment
Coolest Club Ever: The Cat’s Ass is a frequent setting throughout the movie, being a lesbian nightclub always busy and frequently having lip-synch shows. In fact, the movie opens and closes and with a lip-synch show at the club.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5535272c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5535272c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_5535272c
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5a194444
type
But Not Too Bi
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5a194444
comment
But Not Too Bi: Carla flirts with Maggie and is established as bisexual (or omnisexual, in Maggie's opinion) pretty early on. Her only onscreen partner is Paul though.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5a194444
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5a194444
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_5a194444
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5ce2c9c6
type
Suddenly Shouting
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5ce2c9c6
comment
Suddenly Shouting: When meeting with the customs agent regarding her “obscene” book order, Frances manages to maintain her composure and speak in her usually stoic manner. But when the agent will not budge in his stance, Frances jumps up and screams, “LOOK! THE FUCKING SUPREME COURT HAS DECLARED THIS MATERIAL IS NOT OBSCENE!” Frances and Maggie are escorted out very shortly after.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5ce2c9c6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_5ce2c9c6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_5ce2c9c6
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6205320f
type
Trans Tribulations
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6205320f
comment
Trans Tribulations: Judy, a trans woman, hasn't been spoken to her family for a couple years when the film starts. She's thrilled to get a letter her parents sent, and get a house from them too. Later she sings about how she's not a drag queen, and to please call her "ma'am" not "sir". When in the women's bathroom at the club, she's harassed and assaulted by a cis women who gets outraged over her being there. She gets rescued by Maggie and Kim. Lila is later shocked to find out she's trans briefly, though she gets over it. Judy is later devastated to learn her parents got her the house not to reconcile, but to have her "go away". However, she's got close accepting friends and finds love with Frances in spite of her struggles.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6205320f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6205320f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_6205320f
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6486e532
type
Intimate Artistry
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6486e532
comment
Intimate Artistry: Maggie and Kim's first intimacy together involves them both painting each other's bodies, then pressing them onto canvas to make a painting.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6486e532
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6486e532
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_6486e532
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6c87dbef
type
Masturbation Means Sexual Frustration
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6c87dbef
comment
Masturbation Means Sexual Frustration: Lila, after complaining that as an older woman she may never get to have sex again, finds a sex toy in Maggie's apartment that she uses and really enjoys.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6c87dbef
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6c87dbef
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_6c87dbef
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6f44042b
type
The Immodest Orgasm
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6f44042b
comment
The Immodest Orgasm: Maggie, Carla and Lila all get pretty loud when they climax.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6f44042b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_6f44042b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_6f44042b
 Better Than Chocolate / int_84d29a11
type
Drag Queen
 Better Than Chocolate / int_84d29a11
comment
Drag Queen: Resoundingly deconstructed: Judy has a song about how she isn't one. She's a trans woman, but has clearly been mistaken for a drag queen frequently, to her annoyance.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_84d29a11
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_84d29a11
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_84d29a11
 Better Than Chocolate / int_89cf0914
type
Parental Sexuality Squick
 Better Than Chocolate / int_89cf0914
comment
Parental Sexuality Squick: Maggie and Paul both look embarrassed when their mom Lila mentions her sex life (or the lack thereof).
 Better Than Chocolate / int_89cf0914
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_89cf0914
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_89cf0914
 Better Than Chocolate / int_94ce222f
type
Sobriquet Sex Switch
 Better Than Chocolate / int_94ce222f
comment
Sobriquet Sex Switch: Judy's legal name it turns out is Jeremy.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_94ce222f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_94ce222f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_94ce222f
 Better Than Chocolate / int_99e4958e
type
Wall Bang Her
 Better Than Chocolate / int_99e4958e
comment
Wall Bang Her: Maggie goes down on Kim in the club's sole working bathroom stall up against one side as a line of women are kept waiting (although they cheer them afterward).
 Better Than Chocolate / int_99e4958e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_99e4958e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_99e4958e
 Better Than Chocolate / int_ae3d6438
type
Deadpan Snarker
 Better Than Chocolate / int_ae3d6438
comment
Deadpan Snarker: Frances, when she isn't flustered by Judy, is incredibly snarky.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_ae3d6438
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_ae3d6438
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_ae3d6438
 Better Than Chocolate / int_b032e4ed
type
Ms. Fanservice
 Better Than Chocolate / int_b032e4ed
comment
Ms. Fanservice: Maggie and Kim. Both are very good-looking women with multiple sex scenes together or shown in their lingerie.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_b032e4ed
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_b032e4ed
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_b032e4ed
 Better Than Chocolate / int_b77808f2
type
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
 Better Than Chocolate / int_b77808f2
comment
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: The movie ends on one, revealing how each of the main characters ended up.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_b77808f2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_b77808f2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_b77808f2
 Better Than Chocolate / int_bd50e676
type
Queer Romance
 Better Than Chocolate / int_bd50e676
comment
Queer Romance: Maggie has just found Kim, who's the love of her life. However, things become difficult when Maggie's mother and brother come to stay at her place, as Maggie isn't out to her mom.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_bd50e676
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_bd50e676
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_bd50e676
 Better Than Chocolate / int_c660bc15
type
Fan Disservice
 Better Than Chocolate / int_c660bc15
comment
Fan Disservice: Everywhere. The crowner? Lila using a candy-dispensing vibrator. JESUS. Some clarification: the vibrator Lila uses is not candy-dispensing. While she does have a piece of chocolate on the bedside table, the beads often found in a rabbit-style vibrating dildo aren't candy. The more you know!
 Better Than Chocolate / int_c660bc15
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_c660bc15
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_c660bc15
 Better Than Chocolate / int_ca5eda76
type
Heteronormative Crusader
 Better Than Chocolate / int_ca5eda76
comment
Heteronormative Crusader: Officials at customs have seized LGBT-themed books that the book store sells, with this obviously a result of homophobia, particularly as the courts had ruled before these weren't obscene. A local Neo-Nazi skinhead gang harasses the lesbians who work at the book store, and even later throw flares inside which nearly kills several characters after Judy stood up to them.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_ca5eda76
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_ca5eda76
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_ca5eda76
 Better Than Chocolate / int_d32cd9f5
type
Cast Full of Gay
 Better Than Chocolate / int_d32cd9f5
comment
Cast Full of Gay: Nearly all the main characters in the film are lesbians, along with one bisexual women. One lesbian woman is also transgender.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_d32cd9f5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_d32cd9f5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_d32cd9f5
 Better Than Chocolate / int_e13156e1
type
Mama Bear
 Better Than Chocolate / int_e13156e1
comment
Mama Bear: When the skinhead gang threatens Maggie during her provocative advertisement display, Lila doesn’t even hesitate to charge at them and physically attack them to get them away from her daughter.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_e13156e1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_e13156e1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_e13156e1
 Better Than Chocolate / int_e43130c1
type
Interrupted Intimacy
 Better Than Chocolate / int_e43130c1
comment
Interrupted Intimacy: Maggie and Kim, making out in the shower, get interrupted by the arrival of Maggie's family.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_e43130c1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_e43130c1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_e43130c1
 Better Than Chocolate / int_f6f2ff1
type
Insult Backfire
 Better Than Chocolate / int_f6f2ff1
comment
Insult Backfire: When Lila and Judy attack the skinhead gang to protect Maggie, one of the skinheads calls Judy a dyke. Judy responds with a very cheerful, “Thank you!”
 Better Than Chocolate / int_f6f2ff1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_f6f2ff1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_f6f2ff1
 Better Than Chocolate / int_f96f188c
type
Drives Like Crazy
 Better Than Chocolate / int_f96f188c
comment
Drives Like Crazy: Both Lila and Paul. Lila is shown parking her car on top of a curb, and Paul drives so fast that Lila and him arrive to Maggie’s place a full day earlier than what everyone expected.
 Better Than Chocolate / int_f96f188c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_f96f188c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_f96f188c
 Better Than Chocolate / int_name
type
ItemName
 Better Than Chocolate / int_name
comment
 Better Than Chocolate / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Better Than Chocolate / int_name
 Better Than Chocolate / int_name
itemName
Better Than Chocolate

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Body Paint / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
But Not Too Bi / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Cannot Spit It Out / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Canadian Movies / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Cast Full of Gay / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Drag Queen / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Films of 1995–1999 / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Heteronormative Crusader / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
I Should Write a Book About This / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Interrupted Intimacy / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Intimate Artistry / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Just Following Orders / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Making Love in All the Wrong Places / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Masturbation Means Sexual Frustration / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Parental Sexuality Squick / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Queer Romance / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Shower of Love / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Sobriquet Sex Switch / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Trans Character, Cis Actor / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Trans Tribulations / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Transparent Closet / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Wall Bang Her / int_141e0fd1
 Better Than Chocolate
hasFeature
Lipstick Lesbian / int_141e0fd1