Fashion salesman Amadeus flirts with the secretary when his wife Emma pays him an unexpected visit. She asks for a new coat. He gives her a checkered raincoat from his storage. At home she meets her friend Gritti, who is excited by the new garment. Emma lends it to her for a rendezvous with her fiancé. On his way home Amadeus spots Gritti leaving the house. Due to the coat he mistakes her for his wife and follows close behind. At the same time he is observed by Emma who begins her own pursuit. When Grittti enters a streetcar with her fiancé, Amadeus assumes deceit. He loses track of the couple and starts to make eyes at a young pedestrian. Emma is outraged and decides to move in with her mother, who suggests a divorce lawyer. Amadeus finds his home empty and calls the same lawyer. A meeting with the married couple is arranged for the next morning.
Typically in film, characters suffering from mental illness are used as plot devices or exaggerated for comedy. 'The House that Jack Built's representation exceeds in accuracy and realism of OCD.
It’s the most loving tribute to cinema and to Ingmar Bergman, set in world that feels so habitable that I felt like only re-watching this for eternity, because of how inviting it looks and feels.
‘Better Than Chocolate’ isn’t perfect, but it sure has charm! The characters are great. Some took longer to grow on me than others, but ultimately they’re all compelling! I appreciate how a select few help those around them to grow.
America is the crux of the storyline: she is the only person in existence with the power to jump between universes. As central as America is to the Multiverse of Madness story, she somehow didn’t get that much to do.
One of the great achievements of this film is its ability to challenge the mind and to force you to try to process information in a different way than you’re used to.
