the chocolate war movie review

MOVIE REVIEW : Probing the Darkness in ‘The Chocolate War’

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“The Chocolate War” (AMC Century 14) is a first-rate adaptation of Robert Cormier’s dark, cautionary tale about personal freedom, as an idealistic freshman at a Catholic high school for boys unexpectedly defies the system and learns firsthand about the power of manipulation and intimidation.

Years from now, its haunting allegory may be best remembered as the directing debut of Keith Gordon. Although he has co-written and co-produced before (“Static”), Gordon’s primarily been known as an exceptional young actor (“Christine” “Dressed to Kill”). As “The Chocolate War” proves, he’s also a terrifyingly assured director.

The look of the film, its Shaker-like visual severity and the taut control that Gordon exercises is almost astringent. However, his work with his actors is anything but clinical; Gordon, who also adapted the story, has a lovely feeling for nuance and for ensemble.

Brother Leon (John Glover, splendidly malevolent), is not yet head of St. Trinity’s, one of the hubs of this Northwestern city, but he’s palpably close and hotly ambitious for the job. To cement his position as the acting chief administrator, he has come up with an unprecedented quota for the annual chocolate sale: The boys will have to sell twice as many chocolates at double the price of last year.

Almost equal in power to Brother Leon are the Vigils, the secret school club. As the film opens, a pair of the club’s officers, Archie (Wally Ward) and his assistant Obie (Doug Hutchison) sit alone above the football field, picking boys for Vigil “assignments,” excruciating secret tests of loyalty or stamina. It’s an almost surreal scene that reminds you of one of those “angels come to earth” sequences; however the manipulative Archie and the covertly ambitious Obie are anything but angels.

Jerry Renault (Ilan Mitchell-Smith), a smallish freshman whose tenacity at the football tryout catches Archie’s eye, receives one of these assignments. When every boy at St. Trinity’s routinely accepts his quota of chocolates, Jerry’s orders are to refuse; then, after the Vigil-created ban is over, to agree to take his 50 boxes.

Even in the face of Brother Leon’s most sardonic “persuasion”--a masterly display of bullying in which the priest’s cobra-quick changes of logic and mood terrorize the entire class--Jerry holds fast. He’s seen as a nut, then a menace, then as a symbol. Then something in Jerry snaps, almost audibly. Even after his Vigil time-frame is over, Jerry still refuses to sell the chocolates.

Systems work only as long as we let them. Jerry stands firm, a tangible threat to every side. In no time, the Vigils are fighting among themselves and with Brother Leon over absolute control of the school. And in the center is Jerry, thoughtful, resolute and wretched. (Mitchell-Smith gives a beautifully detailed performance.) He has virtually no support at home. His mother has died of cancer just as the school term begins, and his pharmacist-father sees Jerry through a miasma of mourning.

Significantly, the film doesn’t spell out Jerry’s reasons, but we can speculate that it’s in reaction to his father’s resignation and passivity. Only Goober (Corey Gunnestad), his best friend, gives Jerry any encouragement, and that’s wary at best, until Goober too begins to see the levels of corruption on which the school, that microcosm, operates.

Gordon mixes fantasy (not all of it completely successful), flash-forward and an eclectic range of music, from Yaz to Joan Armatrading to Peter Gabriel, to tell his story. It’s not the sort that sends audiences out inspired by the best in their fellow man. Goodness has a very hard time of it, even up through the film’s punishing ending. It’s not accidental that in granting the film rights to two of his songs, Peter Gabriel cites his support of human rights and of Amnesty International. Human rights are clearly at the heart of the darkness here.

However, even with its chilling message, “The Chocolate War” (MPAA-rated R) is a fascinating film done with style, with care and with excellence in every department, from the actors (Hutchison’s owlish Obie; Brent Fraser’s sleek, preternaturally experienced wise guy, Emile Janza, and a delightful moment by Bud Cort as Brother Jacques) to Tom Richmond’s beautiful camera work and David Ensley’s art direction, which is both witty and understated.

‘THE CHOCOLATE WAR’

A Management Company Entertainment Group, Inc, presentation of a Jonathan D. Krane production of a film by Keith Gordon. Producer Krane. Writer-director Gordon, based on the novel by Robert Cormier. Co-producer Simon R. Lewis. Editor Jeff Wishengrad.Camera Tom Richmond. Production design David Ensley. Line producer Ron Diamond. Associate producer Susan I. Spivak. With John Glover, Ilan Mitchell-Smith. Wally Ward, Dough Hutchinson, Corey Gunnestad, Brent Fraser, Robert Davenport, Bud Cort, Adam Baldwin, Jenny Wright.

Running time: 1 hour, 43 minutes.

MPAA-rated: R (under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian).

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The Chocolate War Reviews

Keith Gordon's direction is unhurried and understated, and the film is all the stronger because of it.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 1, 2022

The film is especially insightful about the way power structures–social, religious, political–reinforce one another, despite conflicting values and goals, to squelch individualism.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | May 11, 2022

Fans of the book may enjoy this dark story.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 28, 2010

The story is a classic about grace under pressure and resisting conformity, and it's a noble first effort from a director who has never sold out.

Full Review | Original Score: A- | Apr 21, 2007

The Chocolate War is reminiscent of another kind of movie that one wishes could be jump-started again: Angry Young Man films.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 15, 2007

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 5, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 19, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 10, 2002

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 31, 2002

Seriously underrated and annoyingly overlooked. Gordon delivers a great film in his very first try.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Jul 26, 2002

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 27, 2001

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Jan 1, 2000

The acting is superb.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Jan 1, 2000

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The chocolate war.

Common Sense Says
Parents Say 1 Review
Kids Say 2 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

By Nell Minow , based on child development research. How do we rate?

Fans of the book may enjoy this dark story.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that mature teenagers, especially fans of the popular book by Robert Cormier, will appreciate this dark story, a kind of "Dangerous Liaisons" for teenagers. Archie says that "people are two things, greedy and cruel," and devises his plans to take advantage of those qualities.

Why Age 16+?

Very strong language.

Smoking by teens.

References to masturbation, (false) accusation of homosexuality used to taunt Je

Jerry beat up by a gang of smaller kids, boxing match at the end, blackmail, har

Any Positive Content?

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

References to masturbation, (false) accusation of homosexuality used to taunt Jerry.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Jerry beat up by a gang of smaller kids, boxing match at the end, blackmail, harassment, and other emotional violence.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

Parents say (1)
Kids say (2)

Based on 1 parent review

I really enjoyed the movie

What's the story.

At Trinity Prep, Archie (Wally Ward) determines the "assignments" to be given to those boys selected for the elite club, the Vigils. Freshman Jerry Renault (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) is selected for an assignment. Intent on becoming headmaster, hardnosed teacher Brother Leon (John Glover) tells Archie that the boys must sell 20,000 boxes of chocolates for their annual fund-raiser, twice the number from previous years, and at twice the price. All of the boys agree, but Jerry refuses because that is his test to get into the Vigils. But even after passing the Vigils' test, he continues to refuse to participate, despite harassment by the other boys. Now, Archie must ensure they meet their sales quota or lose his position within the club.

Is It Any Good?

Mature teenagers, especially fans of the popular book by Robert Cormier, will appreciate this dark story, a kind of "Dangerous Liaisons" for teenagers. While the story is exaggerated for satiric effect, much of it will seem true to teenagers, who often feel a heightened sense of proportion. The movie shows us some of Jerry's dreams or fantasies, which add to the surreal and claustrophobic feeling of the movie.

The movie provides a good basis for a discussion of the different ways that people get other people to do what they want, the exercise of power, and the ways that power is maintained -- and lost. The interaction between Brother Leon and Archie is especially interesting, because of their uneasy interdependence. As powerful as both of them seem, they ultimately lose their power without much of a struggle.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the tools that Archie uses to maintain and exercise power. What tools does Brother Leon use? How can anyone or any group decide to make something "popular" and "cool" as Archie does with the chocolate sale? Why does Archie tell Janza to "use the queer pitch" on Jerry? Why does the screenplay have Archie holding an impaled butterfly when he talks to Janza on the phone? Why does Jerry tell the girl she was right? What is the significance of the Vigil's marble test for the person who gives the assignments?

Movie Details

In theaters : November 18, 1988
On DVD or streaming : April 17, 2007
Cast : Ilan Mitchell-Smith , John Glover , Wallace Langham
Director : Keith Gordon
Studio : MGM/UA
Genre : Drama
Run time : 100 minutes
MPAA rating : R
Last updated : November 12, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Review: the chocolate war.

It may remind you of high school, and some of the things you tried to forget.

The quintessential young adult novel The Chocolate War paints a Catholic high school as a nihilistic battleground. The concept of “individual” and “society” is dramatized by having individual cruelties accepted by the herd. An idealistic young man, Renault, goes against that entire system, confronting the high school’s creepy secret society and the iron-willed teachers by refusing to take part in their annual chocolate sale. This only leads to some Crucifixion symbolism and an ending as bloody as being beaten up behind the school. Keith Gordon’s film adaptation is no less blunt in its visuals; handsome young men are isolated in controlled images set against bleak gray skies or monolithic blackboards.

The cool color palette, slightly hyper-real acting, and deadpan approach to evil are all indebted to Stanley Kubrick, but The Chocolate War is reminiscent of another kind of movie that one wishes could be jump-started again in today’s apathetic times: Angry Young Man films. Gordon is less of a surrealist than the late Lindsay Anderson, notwithstanding the handful of dream sequences that make vivid use of prime colors in the background, coffins appearing in the high school football fields, and characters reciting dialogue mismatched with the voices of other characters that allow us to see them in a new light. It’s more about tone: Renault (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) has barely any dialogue, but this sensitive, soft-spoken young actor has a rebellious gleam in his eyes when asked whether he’s going to sell the chocolates. When he says, “No,” we’re witnessing a character rarely seen in film, a reserved provocateur who fights city hall through passive resistance.

Renault meets his match with an enemy who, like him, is a kind of rebel, and actually becomes the emotional center of the movie: Archie (Wally Ward), the mastermind of the secret society who has no illusions about human nature. Archie regards practical jokes and hazing of his fellow students as a way of recognizing life’s random cruelties and absurdities. There’s a kind of poetry in him as he pressures the freshmen into unscrewing every table and chair in a teacher’s classroom until they’re just about to fall apart. He, too, is a version of rebellious youth, and, like Renault, he pushes his agenda to the point where it is almost self-destructive. The chocolate war happens because Archie ordered Renault not to sell for 10 days, and when Renault continues his rebellion, the proverbial cracks in the system start to show. Bland-faced, asexual Wally Ward (who later changed his name to Wally Langham and joined The Larry Sanders Show ) gives a charged, often funny performance, whose very awkwardness and lanky frame is used to press an advantage. He doesn’t move—he either slithers or dances, and from beat to beat it’s curious to see what direction he’s going to go.

Keith Gordon was a child actor himself, having appeared in Dressed to Kill and Christine . He’s in touch with the dark side of youth, and also the spontaneity and self-indulgent morbid happiness of being alone or oppressed. It defines one’s nature. The soundtrack doesn’t feature the sulking hilarity of The Smiths, but it feels like one of their songs, lusciously mixing jokes with existentialist despair. But the music comes close, and makes fantastic use of Peter Gabriel’s “We Do What We’re Told,” often skipping the song’s heavy lyrics and using its music box introductory notes, which unsettle in their cold rhythmic beauty.

Gordon also makes a few crucial changes to the ending of the book, which may frustrate those readers who grew up having Robert Cormier’s nihilistic tome committed to memory. But in some ways, he actually improves the finale, which does indeed end in a horrible beating and a group acceptance that “that’s life,” but the tragedy is not as simple as a Jesus character getting strung up on the cross. In fact, Gordon describes the climactic beats as being a response to movies like The Karate Kid , where the hero is able to solve all his problems by beating up the bad guy. As a character gets his teeth smashed in, the sound drops out (a nod to Raging Bull , in one of Gordon’s ham-fisted but nonetheless effective shout-outs to Scorsese) and the viewer is left to question what defines heroism and satisfaction.

For a movie set in high school where there are no sex scenes or nudity, and barely any women, there’s a strong sexual charge. That unsettles, too, because The Chocolate War is about control, and who is holding that power. The disciplinarian teacher is played by John Glover, an actor who fits into the world of the movie perfectly because he continually shifts gears within each scene, from high comedy to teeth-gnawing nervousness to piercing savagery. He’s never presented as a pedophile, though he’s tenderly stroking his students’ hair and joking around with them as if he were a kid himself before becoming an Old Testament father lecturing them on mob rule.

If this movie is about sex, it’s certainly of the sadomasochistic variety, where the rebel gets off on his own act of self-destruction and the powers that be delight in watching him squirm. The Chocolate War is blatant in terms of what it’s trying to say, and the filmmaking techniques announce themselves aggressively, yet the movie insinuates itself in the viewer. It may remind you of high school, and some of the things you tried to forget.

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Cast & crew
User reviews

The Chocolate War

The Vigils are a gang of students at Trinity Catholic School... part of the tradition. They control the other boys by intimidation and the threat of violence. The Vigils are a gang of students at Trinity Catholic School... part of the tradition. They control the other boys by intimidation and the threat of violence. The Vigils are a gang of students at Trinity Catholic School... part of the tradition. They control the other boys by intimidation and the threat of violence.

Keith Gordon
Robert Cormier
John Glover
Ilan Mitchell-Smith
Wallace Langham
47 User reviews
35 Critic reviews
2 nominations

Top cast 31

Brother Leon

Jerry Renault

(as Wally Ward)

Emile Janza
(as Brent Fraser)
Brian Cochran

Brother Jacques

Gregory Bailey
Impressed Kid on Bus
Senior 'Environment' Kid
Frank Bollo
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

Trivia The film's music budget was about $15,000. Most of the artists featured on the soundtrack allowed the filmmakers to use their songs at bargain basement prices. David Bowie wanted $100,000 to use his song "Heroes" during the final scene and credits, so Kate Bush 's "Running Up That Hill" was substituted. In exchange for the use of two of his songs, and in light of the difficult subject matter of the film, musician and activist Peter Gabriel requested that his affiliation and support of the human rights organization Amnesty International be included in the film's post-credits.

[Archie is on the phone with Janza who has just told Archie about him and a gang beating up Jerry]

Archie Costello : [into the phone] WHAT? Janza, can't you do anything right?

Emile Janza : [into the phone] Hey, you said that the guy should take a hint about what he's up against. So, I thought I give him a brutal ass-kicking to show him that it's not nice to mess around with the Vigils. I asked some kids to assist me with the brawl.

Archie Costello : [into the phone] Who were they? I don't want outsiders involved in this!

Emile Janza : [into the phone] Just some animals that live in my neighborhood. They'd beat up their own grandmothers for a dollar.

Connections Featured in The Celluloid Closet (1995)
Soundtracks In My Room Performed by Yazoo (as Yaz) Written by Vince Clarke Used with permission of Stainless Music (BMI) on behalf of Sonet Records and Publishing Ltd. Courtesy of Sire Records / Mute Records By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User reviews 47

Mean_Joe_Weeks
Sep 21, 2003
How long is The Chocolate War? Powered by Alexa
November 18, 1988 (United States)
United States
Cokoladni rat
St. Edward's Seminary, Kenmore, Washington, USA
Management Company Entertainment Group (MCEG)
See more company credits at IMDbPro
$500,000 (estimated)
Nov 20, 1988

Technical specs

Runtime 1 hour 44 minutes

More to explore

IMAGES

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The Chocolate War (1988)
The Chocolate War (1988)
The Chocolate War
The Chocolate War
The Chocolate War

VIDEO

[Path to Nowhere] Chocolate War 1
Chocolate War #shorts #brawlstars
Path to Nowhere [PtN]
Path to Nowhere [PtN]
The Chocolate War 1988
Chocolate War

COMMENTS

The Chocolate War | Rotten Tomatoes
The Chocolate War. Jerry (Ilan Mitchell-Smith), a new student at an elite Roman Catholic prep school, must face the freshman hazing practices handed down by the Vigils, a group of powerful...
The Chocolate War | Rotten Tomatoes
US lawyer Terry Collingsworth is working hard to bring the chocolate giants to justice and has dedicated his life to the abolition of slavery and human trafficking, and to fighting the food...
Why You Should Watch 'Chocolate War,' the '80s Film that ...
Keith Gordon’s “The Chocolate War” (1988) marked an impressive directorial debut, in which the character actor-turned-filmmaker ambitiously took on Robert Cormier’s eternally controversial 1974 novel.
MOVIE REVIEW : Probing the Darkness in ‘The Chocolate War’
Times Film Critic. “The Chocolate War” (AMC Century 14) is a first-rate adaptation of Robert Cormier’s dark, cautionary tale about personal freedom, as an idealistic freshman at a Catholic high...
The Chocolate War - Movie Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes
The Chocolate War Reviews. All Critics. Top Critics. All Audience. Verified Audience. Matt Brunson Film Frenzy. Keith Gordon's direction is unhurried and understated, and the film is all the...
The Chocolate War Movie Review | Common Sense Media
Fans of the book may enjoy this dark story. Read Common Sense Media's The Chocolate War review, age rating, and parents guide.
The Chocolate War (1988) - The Chocolate War (1988) - User ...
The Chocolate War is a movie about a young kid named Jerry and his power struggle with the group at school called the Vigils. They want him to sell the schools annual chocolates but he refuses and from then on the Vigils make his life miserable.
Review: The Chocolate War - Slant Magazine
The quintessential young adult novel The Chocolate War paints a Catholic high school as a nihilistic battleground. The concept of “individual” and “society” is dramatized by having individual cruelties accepted by the herd.
The Chocolate War (film) - Wikipedia
The Chocolate War is a 1988 American drama film written and directed by Keith Gordon. It is based on Robert Cormier's novel of the same name, about a young man who rebels against the ingrained hierarchy of an elite Catholic school.
The Chocolate War (1988) - IMDb
The Chocolate War: Directed by Keith Gordon. With John Glover, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Wallace Langham, Doug Hutchison. The Vigils are a gang of students at Trinity Catholic School... part of the tradition. They control the other boys by intimidation and the threat of violence.