Chocolat (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
France, 1959: on one sedate, breezy Sunday afternoon, Vianne (Juliette Binoche) & her daughter Anouk show up in a rural, conservative village in 'Chocolat', directed by Lasse Hallstrom. They are met with some skepticism. And when word gets out that Vianne does not attend church & has the gall to open a chocolate shop during Lent (an inappropriate indulgence) ... the town's pious mayor, the Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina) denounces her {nice, huh?}. Still, Vianne starts winning over the locals and, her business flourishes. 2 of Vianne's strongest allies include Josephine (Lena Olin), who hangs around to avoid her abusive husband (Peter Stormare), & Armande (Judi Dench), the cantankerous old biddy who owns the shop that Vianne rents.
Though her warm, mercurial presence & curiously delectable chocolates please the townsfolk, they start to turn on her when she befriends/accepts a band of river drifting nomads who've decided to reside nearby. And after striking up a friendship with the group's eccentric leader, Roux (a charming Johnny Depp), the town has just about had enough. With romance blossoming for Vianne, can she prevent the irksome mayor from shutting her down? While familial issues abound for old Armande, will the frost that surrounds her heart start to thaw? And can Vianne continue to keep the town hypnotized by the power of her alluring charms & delectable chocolate? Joys, tragedy & catharsis ensues.
'Chocolat' is one big morsel of a movie; dripping with gooey sweetness at every turn. We become immersed in the cheeky humor, the golden-hued cinematography, the whimsical characters, the gorgeous period designs & the capricious musical score. The film uses chocolate as a conduit of eroticism for many of the formerly 'proper' townsfolk. This is why Vianne is a success; she knows her magical effect on people. Juliette Binoche is exceedingly appealing here; using her cooking, enlightenment, serenity, & even some feminine wiles when she can. Judi Dench is superb; nuanced as always. And both Alfred Molina & Lena Olin are particularly fun to watch. Each portrayal is multi-layered and, the actors imbue their roles with such humanity.
'Chocolat' is simplistic in its storytelling – lacking an edge. But the film is just so pleasant & comfortable; a fable about how villagers cast aside their rigid religious lives & find true happiness through the subtle but mystical pleasures of chocolate consumption (religion is perceived as a real bother/source of conflict during the entire movie). This film is not quite as brilliant as Hallstrom's previous The Cider House Rules. Some audiences may not fall under its gentle spell. But still, I think this is a wonderful little film; enchanting, sparkling with life, expertly crafted, & one you can lose yourself in ... the perfect movie to pop into your DVD player, grab a homemade blanket, & cuddle up to with a cup of chili-infused hot cocoa {wink wink}.
Though her warm, mercurial presence & curiously delectable chocolates please the townsfolk, they start to turn on her when she befriends/accepts a band of river drifting nomads who've decided to reside nearby. And after striking up a friendship with the group's eccentric leader, Roux (a charming Johnny Depp), the town has just about had enough. With romance blossoming for Vianne, can she prevent the irksome mayor from shutting her down? While familial issues abound for old Armande, will the frost that surrounds her heart start to thaw? And can Vianne continue to keep the town hypnotized by the power of her alluring charms & delectable chocolate? Joys, tragedy & catharsis ensues.
'Chocolat' is one big morsel of a movie; dripping with gooey sweetness at every turn. We become immersed in the cheeky humor, the golden-hued cinematography, the whimsical characters, the gorgeous period designs & the capricious musical score. The film uses chocolate as a conduit of eroticism for many of the formerly 'proper' townsfolk. This is why Vianne is a success; she knows her magical effect on people. Juliette Binoche is exceedingly appealing here; using her cooking, enlightenment, serenity, & even some feminine wiles when she can. Judi Dench is superb; nuanced as always. And both Alfred Molina & Lena Olin are particularly fun to watch. Each portrayal is multi-layered and, the actors imbue their roles with such humanity.
'Chocolat' is simplistic in its storytelling – lacking an edge. But the film is just so pleasant & comfortable; a fable about how villagers cast aside their rigid religious lives & find true happiness through the subtle but mystical pleasures of chocolate consumption (religion is perceived as a real bother/source of conflict during the entire movie). This film is not quite as brilliant as Hallstrom's previous The Cider House Rules. Some audiences may not fall under its gentle spell. But still, I think this is a wonderful little film; enchanting, sparkling with life, expertly crafted, & one you can lose yourself in ... the perfect movie to pop into your DVD player, grab a homemade blanket, & cuddle up to with a cup of chili-infused hot cocoa {wink wink}.