Chocolat (2000)

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers (WGA):

Joanne Harris (novel)
Robert Nelson Jacobs (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 January 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

One Taste Is All It Takes

Plot:

A woman and her daughter open a chocolate shop in a small French village that shakes up the rigid morality of the community.

Plot Keywords:

Gourmet | Atheist | Houseboat | 1960s | Arson

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 28 nominations

Cast

Juliette Binoche	...	Vianne Rocher
Alfred Molina	...	Comte Paul de Reynaud
Carrie-Anne Moss	...	Caroline Clairmont
Judi Dench	...	Armande Voizin
Antonio Gil	...	Jean-Marc Drou (as Antonio Gil-Martinez)
Hélène Cardona	...	Francoise Drou
Johnny Depp	...	Roux
Hugh O'Conor	...	Pere Henri
Harrison Pratt	...	Dedou Drou
Gaelan Connell	...	Didi Drou (as Gaelan Alexander Connell)
Lena Olin	...	Josephine Muscat
Elisabeth Commelin	...	Yvette Marceau
Peter Stormare	...	Serge Muscat
Ron Cook	...	Alphonse Marceau
Aurelien Parent Koenig	...	Luc Clairmont (as Aurèlien Parent Koenig)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for a scene of sensuality and some violence.

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | French

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

South Korea:12 | Malaysia:U | USA:PG-13 (certificate #37889) | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Denmark:A | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Beynac, Dordogne, France

Company:

David Brown Productions

Trivia:

Some of the filming in Chocolat took place at a small farm in Bruton, Somerset, UK for it's "french rural feel".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Vianne and Anouk first come down to see the River People, we hear Roux playing a guitar, but can't actually see him. Then, when the two finally see Roux, he's sitting right ahead of them, in front of a white screen, where no one was sitting the shot before, playing a guitar.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Storyteller: Once upon a time, there was a quiet little village in the French countryside, whose people believed in Tranquilité - Tranquility. If you lived in this village, you understood what was expected of you. You knew your place in the scheme of things. And if you happened to forget...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Conan O'Brien/Don Henley (#26.14)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Promendade Aux Champs Elyssees

A Sweet Delight!

A film to awaken the senses and stimulate the sweet tooth, `Chocolat,' directed by Lasse Hallstrom and starring Juliette Binoche. is both a sensuous and sensational delight. In the mid ‘50s, as if borne on the winds of fate, a somewhat mysterious woman arrives in a small town in France, with a young daughter, Anouk (Victoire Thivisol) in tow and a special talent that soon has the townsfolk in quite a stir. Binoche is Vianne Rocher, a woman who uses her exotic recipe for chocolate to unlock the repressed sensibilities of the predominately Catholic citizenry, heretofore kept under the rigid and righteous thumb of the Mayor, Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina), with no respite or help, even from the town's young and inexperienced priest, Pere Henri (Hugh O'Conor). And because Vianne has the audacity to open her chocolate shop during Lent, when of course her sumptuous treats are forbidden, she quickly runs afoul of the Mayor and a battle of wills between the two ensues. Her chocolates are irresistible, but the Mayor has tradition and religion on his side, and it puts the free-spirited Vianne-- who has something of the gypsy in her-- to the test. As a director, Hallstrom has just the right touch that brings out the best this story has to offer, which is to say, quite a bit. It's an affecting and funny movie that will touch you emotionally as it involves you with the characters; Hallstrom knows what buttons to push and when, and it works splendidly. There's a touch of mystery surrounding Vianne that underscores the sensitivity of the story, and Hallstrom never allows it to become maudlin, which successfully maintains the integrity of the drama. And there are moments throughout the film that evoke an almost dream-like sense of pacification that draw you in as you indulge in the mouth watering visual pleasures of the chocolate. Be forewarned, though, it's a tough one for diabetics to watch. What Hallstrom also has going for him in this one is an absolutely exquisite cast, many of whom give Oscar worthy, memorable performances, beginning with the superb Juliette Binoche. There's an earthy, enigmatic and classic sense of beauty about her that make her presence on screen captivating; she's simply a joy to behold. Judi Dench (Amande), meanwhile, does a terrific character turn as a mother whose daughter, Caroline (Carrie-Anne Moss), deems her an embarrassment and a bad influence on her son, Luc (Aurelien Parent-Koening), and Lena Olin (Josephine) is outstanding as well, as an unhappy woman who finds hope in Vianne's undaunted spirit. Three extraordinary performances from gifted actresses that should be recognized with Oscar nominations. And Molina, too, as the narrow minded Comte, gives possibly the best performance of his career, while Johnny Depp (Roux) lends some charm as the leader of a roving community of river people. Rounding out the supporting cast are John Wood (Guillaume), Peter Stormare (Serge) and Leslie Caron (Madame Audel). Possibly the `sweetest' film of the year, as well as one of the best, `Chocolat' is a visual and emotional triumph that will warm your heart and make your taste buds salivate, with a story and characters as rich and satisfying as the candy they embrace. It's a film with a human touch whose images and sensitivity will remain with you long after the screen has gone dark; an uplifting, entertaining movie that proves that the answers to the mysteries of life just may be found in that box of chocolates, after all. I rate this one 10/10.