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The Chocolate War

The Chocolate War

Drama · 1988

Jerry, a new student at an elite Catholic prep school, must face the hazing practices handed down by the Vigils, a group of powerful students. When teacher Brother Leon pushes the students to sell chocolates for a fundraiser, the head of the Vigils, Archie, gets Jerry to reject selling for 10 days. However, Jerry decides to keep up the refusal past the original time frame, which pits him against the Vigils and the school staff.

Movie details

The Chocolate War

“Sometimes revenge is bitter, not sweet.”

1988 Drama 1h 40m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.3 / 10

Community rating

Jerry, a new student at an elite Catholic prep school, must face the hazing practices handed down by the Vigils, a group of powerful students. When teacher Brother Leon pushes the students to sell chocolates for a fundraiser, the head of the Vigils, Archie, gets Jerry to reject selling for 10 days. However, Jerry decides to keep up the refusal past the original time frame, which pits him against the Vigils and the school staff.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Chocolate War?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Keith Gordon

Written by

Keith Gordon

John Glover

John Glover

Brother Leon

Ilan Mitchell-Smith

Ilan Mitchell-Smith

Jerry

Wallace Langham

Wallace Langham

Archie

Doug Hutchison

Doug Hutchison

Obie

C

Corey Gunnestad

Goober

Brent David Fraser

Brent David Fraser

Emile Janza (as Brent Fraser)

R

Robert Davenport

Brian Cochran

Court is in session

Put The Chocolate War on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.