One taste is all it takes.
When Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche), a mysterious stranger, and her child arrive in a tranquil French town in the winter of 1959, nobody could have imagined the impact that she and her spirited daughter, Anouk (Victoire Thivisol), would have on this community stubbornly rooted in tradition. Within days, Vianne opens a very unusual chocolate shop, filled with mouth-watering confections, across the square from the church. Her ability to perceive her customers' private desires and satisfy them with just the right confection, coaxes the villagers to abandon themselves to temptation.
The resident nobleman, Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina), and self-appointed leader of the town are shocked that Vianne is tempting the local townspeople with her delicacies. Fearing it will ruin his town, he pits himself against Vianne and tries to forbid anyone from entering her shop, hoping to run her out of town forever.
But when another outsider arrives, the handsome Roux (Johnny Depp), and joins forces with Vianne to liberate the town, a dramatic confrontation arises between those who prefer the ways of the past and those who revel in their newly discovered taste for pleasure.
Agent David Keys
Chocolat is a highly entertaining film. The idea of chocolate being used to release the feelings and emotions of a small French town should do well. You all know how indulgent chocolate can be!
The setting of the film, some little "hick" town in France, provides you with something like people stuck in a time warp for the past 100 years; old ideas trying to stop the influx of the new. With the musical score and pleasant scenery, we were prepared for a journey all the while not knowing where it would take us.
The actors, what can we say! Juliette Binoche is perfectly cast as the "temptress" owner of the chocolaterie who awakens the hidden yearnings and desires of the townsfolk. Who can fault Dame Judi Dench? She plays a wonderful role as the eccentric geriatric of the town with a wicked sense of humour. Johnny Depp is pleasantly cast as the love interest however it seemed as though he couldn't make up his mind if he wanted to do an Irish accent or not! There were a few times through the film when the accents tended to stray a bit, but this is just a minor flaw in a light comedy that is thoroughly enjoyable.
With the Lindt balls we received as we entered the cinema, and after watching 117 minutes of chocolate indulgence, it was straight to the nearest shop to feed their cravings! Unfortunately, this didn't release the same desires as the movie!!
M (Low level sex scene, low level violence)
117 minutes (1:57 hours)
DVD retail: 10 April 2002