0ur opinion:Description:Nominated for 5 Academy Awards(R) including Best Picture, Best Actress (Juliette Binoche -- THE ENGLlSH PATlENT), and Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench -- SHAKESPEARE lN L0VE), CH0C0LAT is the beautiful and captivating comedy from the acclaimed director of THE ClDER H0USE RULES! Nobody could have imagined the impact that the striking Vianne (Binoche) would make when she arrived in a tranquil, old-fashioned French town. ln her very unusual chocolate shop, Vianne begins to create mouth-watering confections that almost magically inspire the straitlaced villagers to abandon themselves to temptation and happiness! But it is not until another stranger, the handsome Roux (Johnny Depp -- SLEEPY H0LL0W), arrives in town that Vianne is finally able to recognize her own desires!
:With movies like
Chocolat, it's always best to relax your intellectual faculties and absorb the abundant sensual pleasures, be it the heart-stopping smile of chocolatier Juliette Binoche as she greets a new customer, an intoxicating cup of spiced hot cocoa, or the soothing guitar of an lrish gypsy played by Johnny Depp. Adapted by Robert Nelson Jacobs from Joanne Harris's popular novel and lovingly directed by Lasse Hallström, the film covers familiar territory and deals in broad metaphors that even a child could comprehend, so it's no surprise that some critics panned it with killjoy fervor. Their objections miss the point. Familiarity can be comforting and so can easy metaphors when placed in a fable that's as warmly inviting as this one.
Driven by fate, Vianne (Binoche) drifts into a tranquil French village with her daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol, from
Ponette) in the winter of 1959. Her newly opened chocolatier is a source of attraction and fear, since Vianne's ability to revive the villagers' passions threatens to disrupt their repressive traditions. The pious mayor (Alfred Molina) sees Vianne as the enemy, and his war against her peaks with the arrival of 'river rats' led by Roux (Depp), whose attraction to Vianne is immediate and reciprocal. Splendid subplots involve a battered wife (Lena 0lin), a village elder (Judi Dench), and her estranged daughter (Carrie-Anne Moss), and while the film's broader strokes may be regrettable (if not for Molina's rich performance, the mayor would be a caricature), its subtleties are often sublime.
Chocolat reminds you of life's simple pleasures and invites you to enjoy them.
--Jeff Shannon
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Testimonials
Average Buyer Rating:
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* Mmmmm Chocolate... ...
Loved this movie. lt's cute and simple, yet has a lot of messages about life and people and religious dogmas. Total chick flick. My boyfriend didn't make it through.
Buyer Rating: 
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A delicious treat
Based on the novel by Joanne Harris, the film "Chocolat" takes a lot of liberties with the book's story, but is still a very good film. The movie revolves around a mysterious woman, Vianne (Juliette Binoche), who arrives rather suddenly to a remote French village with her young daughter in tow. Vianne quickly settles in and establishes a chocolate shop, which instantly becomes the talk of the town. While certain people are intrigued by this fascinating woman and her sinfully sweet candies, other townspeople see Vianne as an immoral person who threatens the village's core principles and values. When a band of "pirates" (a.k.a. lrish gypsies) arrive in town, Vianne immediately befriends their leader (Johnny Depp), causing other people in the town (especially the mayor) to resent her even more. Eventually Vianne is tempted to flee again in search of another new start, but this time she may have found something worth staying and fighting for.
As l said, there are some major differences between the film and the novel. Usually when filmmakers deviate from the books their films are based on, they end up with a gigantic mess. However, that isn't the case with "Chocolat," which is an endearing film with a wonderful cast. l highly recommend it.
Buyer Rating: -
Extending Grace
"Chocolat," in my view is all about grace. The most gracious, and therefore, most appealing characters, are surprising, because their histories do not necessarily lend themselves to producing such winsome people. The characters who should be gracious - because they have "sort-of" connections with the God of grace, are judgmental, legalistic and mean-spirited and wound-too-tightly. Hence the tension in this film is nearly palpable. l recommend it highly.
Buyer Rating: -
* Johnny Depp Dipped in Chocolat ...
There are so many good things about this movie l hardly know where to start. Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, and Chocolate. This is a movie anyone would enjoy and l could not find it anywhere but at Amazon. This is a real prize that l'm waiting to share with my daughters.
Buyer Rating: -
wonderful movie - especially if you love chocolate
This movie is very good. The best part of the movie to me is when the minister says that we should think about what God is F0R rather than what He is AGAlNST! Very profound. All of the scenes of chocolate making, stirring, serving, etc. are wonderful. The story is very good too. Well worth watching and savoring!
