Chocolat (2000)

Too many fans seem to be blown away

Best movie of this year hands down!

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

I selected this movie to view, as is my usual preference, randomly without knowing who is in it, who directed it or even knowing what it's about. I don't "follow" people who perform for me or people who tell them what to say.Starting with the story, I liked it from the first frame to the last. It is sweet, like chocolate but it can also be bitter also like chocolate. And decadent and frivolous and slightly sinful. Throughout the movie I tasted hints of Beauty and the Beast, Princess Bride, Mary Poppins and Peter Pan among other classic cinema treats. As with chocolates it has tasty overtones of all of them but remains its own singular blend of deliciousness.The production values are superb. Set mostly in a real French village it has an earthiness that can't be recreated in miniature models or digital effects, although some of the interior set designs at Shepperton studios seem a bit tacky and cheesy and the aerial shots of the village were in fact digitally enchanced. The lighting mood is lifelike, the use of music and sound effects is so spot on never once did it jar or distract. The action flow, editing, costumes (for the most part) all were as perfect as a forest scene from Snow White.All of this deserves a positive rating.But, like the dastardly villain, when it comes to rating the acting not all is so rosy in LaLa Land.Starting with the lead character Vianne, whose pivotal role wept for an actress blessed with a sense of magic and mystery and the free spirit of a pixie sprite, a Mary Poppins/Peter Pan if you will. Instead we get a lackluster performance by billionaire Juliette Binoche looking like a billionaire who just interrupted her shopping trip on Rodeo Drive to walk woodenly around a movie set in expensive designer dresses looking like none other than Juliette Binoche. I'm usually not one for movie remakes but here's one that screams to be remade with a less clueless actress cast as Vianne, perhaps Barbra Streisand (I'm kidding of course).The other lead character, Comte de Reynaud, acted by Alfred Molina was a comic book caricature but then again this is a fantasy movie so I'll tolerate his over-the-top slapstick, but I did find what he did to the character boring. As with Ms. Binoche, it's hard to get into a movie when you can't get out of your head that you're watching multi-millionaire actors.Ditto for Judi Dench as Armande. No matter what the role, if Judi Dench is in it you're going to be watching Judi Dench play Judi Dench. To give you an idea how expendable her role was when she finally died it seemed to be the biggest "ho hum" moment in theater history. No one even said "oh darn she's dead".That being the case I dreaded the appearance of Johnny Depp, expecting all of the above and in spades. Mr. Depp is infamous for playing himself in every role and it's virtually impossible to separate his Hollywood persona from what he does on screen. His character, Roux, doesn't even make an appearance until 52 minutes into the movie and what's this, he's not mumbling, or acting weird, or primping himself, or even acting like actor Johnny Depp. His portrayal is actually subtle and nuanced and believable. And likable. Mon Dieu! He almost single-handedly made up for a whole lot of bad casting decisions.He almost does but not completely. Hugh O'Conor STEALS the entire movie and one is continually left with the sinful desire to see more of him. His fidgety nervousness and blushed cheeks have you wondering what mortal pleasures he's contemplating while in the darkened confessional or standing upright behind the solid wood pulpit. Not since Dustin Hoffman's brilliant "gulp" in Mrs. Robinson's sun room has an actor so brilliantly captured the essence of a naive and conflicted young man who is the odd cog in everyone else's wheel. Yet unlike the other look-at-me celebrities pretending to act like they are someone else, Mr. O'Conor come across like he's not really acting, that he really is Pere Henri and you just want to jump naked into the confessional with him and lip sync "You Ain't Nothin' But A Hound Dog" with him... the highest compliment that could be paid to any actor.The only quirky thing that threw this movie off balance a little bit for me was the odd setting for that type of river in the town of Flavigny sur Ozerain, which from all of the establishing camera angle views does not seem like it would be on the banks of a river straight out of Deliverance. It doesn't look very French or like it would flow adjacent to such a village.I liked this movie despite some miscast roles but will still take away extra points for the unapologetic animal abuse portrayal (feeding chocolate to dogs can kill them) and the fact that it is a Harvey Weinstein movie and it hasn't been banned. Hmm, maybe there is a connection after all to Weinstein, certain women's casting assignments and abusing dogs?

Chocolat is a movie my wife picked out for us to watch together on a fall weekend evening on which we planned to sit on the couch cuddled together and spend a simple night of popcorn, movies, and enjoying some alone time together. She picked it out as the synopsis seemed to fit the mood of the evening planned. Indeed it hit it right on the mark! It is a unique story of a woman and her young daughter who live a nomad life style moving from town to town where she would open chocolate shops. She flies in the face of the practices of the average folks of the time and town, but made good friends and through simple acts of kindness won over friends and helped set people free of their inhibitions. I didn't expect to like it that much but wound up loving it. We now spend a weekend evening each fall watching the movie together, enjoying the simple yet quality story that has grown to be one of our favorites. You won't find a lot of movies like it, but that is part of what makes it so special and why I think it is a smart movie for mature audiences. Just a great couples movie that over time seems to be a little better each year we watch it!

Chocolat is a beautiful movie telling a tale of a newly arrived shop owner versus the established order in a Northern French village, post World War II. The movie also has sidebar stories of spousal abuse, difficult parent-child relationships, and romance. The movie has some quirky humour that brings comic relief to the misfortunes. The cast is outstanding with Juliette Binoche, the village's recently arrived chocolatier; Johnny Depp, as Roux another newcomer; and Judy Dench, as the free spirited grandmother who has been ostracized by the village and her own daughter. Leslie Caron has a minor role as one of three widows. Juliette Binoche plays a very warm and somewhat unconventional young woman who takes over a patisserie where she sets up a chocolate shop with flavours that disarm and delight everyone who tastes them. However, the village is not about to embrace the new entrepreneur; the village mayor dislikes anyone who threatens his petty tyranny and this includes the new chocolatier and Johnny Depp's group of merrymaking gypsies. When the small town bigotry turns violent, the village priest, a mere lad, finally breaks from the mayor's rigid code of morality that he has been all too willing to follow. Eventually the two sides in this battle collide. In the end, the chocolate becomes a decisive weapon in the village war. When the dust settles, the viewer can feel a sense of satisfaction in this well paced and thoroughly entertaining movie.

From beginning to end this movie delights me! The first time I saw it I was enchanted at how seamlessly and stylishly everything flowed. The story was like magic of the chocolate , smooth , classy, creamy indulgence. Not only lovely to look at but the underlying message is wise and moving beyond what you think you are going to see. The title again seals it , you think you know what you are going to get, but the taste lingers long after it's done. I must say the performances are ALL memorable, all shine, glow and leave you with that sweet blush of too much but the need for more!! Bravo to all for this lovely, lovely film! MORE PLEASE!!! Julie Barnes