'One Spoon of Chocolate' Review
- John Odette
- May 4
- 3 min read
Release Date: 05/01/26 [Cinemas]
Genre: Action. Drama. Thriller.
MPAA: Rated R.
Distributor: 36 Cinemas Distribution. Variance Films.
The Verdict: A Mistake
The de facto leader of Wu-Tang, RZA, has created a film that crystallizes his deepest influences. One Spoon of Chocolate is a homogeneous blend of kung-fu, Blaxploitation, and soulful music, a love letter to the elements that shaped his style and career. The problem with this film is not in the ingredients, but in how RZA delivered the final recipe.
At first, One Spoon of Chocolate looks like it was purposefully mishandled to echo the Grindhouse feel that inspired it; this film is wobbly and uneven, with bush-league sequences and stunted dialogue. The only aspect missing is the grainy film-scratch filter as the proverbial bow on top. But this film fooled me. Instead of hiding a genuine, interesting, and deep story under a campy mask, we end up with an amateurish, boring product.
I yield to the truth that my taste here is for a different flavor, which is an artsy way of saying that there is a cultural component here that I am not tuned into. Its frequency worked for some audience members, but it didn't for me.
The film plays out simply, using a plotline so common it is likely in screenwriting textbooks: a black former U.S. Army soldier and now ex-convict, Randy (Shameik Moore), is recently released from prison, on parole, and relocates back to his Ohio home. After reconnecting with his cousin Ramsee (RJ Cyler) and looking to start a fresh chapter, Randy finds himself in trouble with local white gang members and corrupt police. Randy finds himself preparing a one-man take-down of these evil forces, while young black men keep turning up dead around town with missing organs.
This revenge story, which is 30 minutes longer than it needs to be, ekes out little to no suspense and contains hardly any memorable action sequences until the very end. I felt that I was supposed to attach myself to Randy, the hero, but the film softly suggests no reason to care. His journey, as he slices, shoots, and kicks through a barrel of bad guys, is so forced because the inciting reasons are so cartoonish. Virtually every antagonist in this film hurls racist epithets in rapid succession, like commas floating in a sentence. This was nauseating to listen to, and this writing came off as pandering. We’ve seen this all before, and all of it felt like stale breadcrumbs that drag us to the obligatory action scenes that feel out of reach.
Character actors such as Michael Harney as the crooked town sheriff, and Blair Underwood (criminally underused here) as Randy’s distant parole officer, do what they can to chew the scenery. Paris Jackson (daughter of the King of Pop, himself) does well as the love interest, even if their romance is fleeting. Harry Goodwins plays Jimmy, the lead adversary, and could have been a lot more interesting villain if he were allowed to do more than two expressions. I’m glad Shameik Moore found a way to kill time between Spider-Verse films, but even he looked eager to move on from this project.
The problem that drowns One Spoon of Chocolate is that it tries to have it both ways. On the one hand, this is a homage to older, better films, and in this exercise, the film is masturbatory, wanting us to remember the forgotten passion we once felt for these stories. This Tarantino-inspired movie riffs on B-movies and Get Out, but is all bark and no bite.
On the other hand, the film mishandles its own message that was right there for the taking. The film’s title is a metaphor for the profound impact one person can have. It's a strong sentiment, and this film almost makes you believe it. Bogged down by its uneven pacing, the film loses momentum. The ending is preachy but without conviction; the closing scene is superficial and unearned. An unbalanced mess is the gentlest way to grade this film.
