Film Analysis: An Analysis Of Tortilla Soup

An Analysis of Tortilla Soup Tortilla Soup is a film that does more than give the viewer a good feeling. Tortilla Soup is a film with many uplifting qualities that the viewer can relate. The opening scene draws the viewer in as the main protagonists, Martin Naranjo played by Hector Elizondo, prepares a large meal with many different dishes for his family. The way that Naranjo manipulates the kitchen cutlery demonstrates that he is more than a cook. His skill demonstrates that he is a fine chef. The opening scene of Naranjo preparing the meal is very relaxing to watch his culinary skills at work. It was interesting that one of the dishes was a melon blossom soup. The author had never heard of or observed this dish being served so it required …show more content…
She is a schoolteacher who shows no interest in finding a husband. She dedicates her free time to her church. Leticia, when questioned about finding a man, defends her freedom of singularity on a past relationship that ruined her desire to open her heart to another man. In the film, Eat Drink Man Woman, which is the film that Tortilla Soup is based upon, we learn that she had made up the story based on a relationship of her best friend. However in this film it appears that Leticia is using it as a cover story for her desire to take care of her father. Leticia’s students, in a prank that turns into matrimony, write love letters to her. Leticia thinks that it is the baseball coach, Orlando Castillo played by Paul Rodriguez. Leticia opens her heart up only to find out during a baseball game, that she stopped, her students were pranking her. A devastated Leticia is rescued from her tears by Orlando. Orlando confesses that he wished he could write those words because they expressed his feeling towards her. The two fall madly in love but because of Leticia’s religious beliefs she cannot have premarital sex. Leticia and Orlando disappear long enough for her to marry Orlando. Her participation in the big, Sunday meal with the family is the introduction of Orlando as her husband to the family. It was quite a shock to all, but Martin seems to accept Orlando once he finds out …show more content…
She is a successful business woman who has an occasional fling with a former boyfriend. Carmen and her father have an ongoing feud. Carmen once was her father’s shadow in his kitchens. Gomez taught her the secrets of fine cuisine while she imitated what she observed her father creating in the kitchen. Carmen constantly complains about the flavors of her father’s Sunday meals because he leaves out certain spices. Carmen is not allowed to prepare anything in the kitchen so she prepares a fine meal for her former boyfriend. Prior to the meal she gives the following quote, “Do you know why we clink glasses before drinking?... It 's so that all the five senses are involved. We touch the glass. We smell the drink. We see its color. We taste it. Hearing is the only sense that doesn 't participate unless we create it.” (imdb.com, Tortilla Soup) This was particularly interesting as our class had a discussion about the five senses involvement in our tasting of food. Carmen is unhappy with her success as a business woman. She is also unhappy with her relationship with her father. Her participation in the Sunday meal was the announcement of her moving into her own apartment, followed by her announcement of a promotion that would send her overseas. She forces her father to taste a meal that she prepared. Martin begins to tell her she ruined it but realizes he has regained the ability to taste. Her