Starring Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Victoire Thivisol, Lena Olin, Alfred Molina, Carrie-Anne Moss, Peter Stormare, Leslie Caron, John Wood, Hugh O'Conor, Aurelien Parent-Koenig. Written by Robert Nelson-Jacobs. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom. In 1959 France, a strong north wind blows Vianne (Binoche) and Anouk (Thivosol) Rocher into a small village. They arrive at the door of Armande Voizin (Dench), an aging, dour pensioner, and seek to rent out an unused shop to make a home and open a Chocolaterie. One reason Armande is so cranky is she has not been allowed to see her grandson Luc Parent-Koenig) by her upright, overprotective daughter Caroline (Moss). Unfortunately, Vianne and Anouk have arrived during Lent, and the mayor Comte de Reynaud (Molina) is not amused Vianne is presenting this temptation to his subjects. He is also not impressed she is unmarried and not interested in attending mass. But despite the Comte's displeasure, and his pressuring the new priest Pere Henri (O'Conor) into denouncing the her Chocolaterie, townspeople begin to warm to her welcoming and kindly ways. There is always a cup of hot chocolate (the real thing) made with her own special recipe waiting for those who pass by. One such passerby is Josephine Muscat (Olin), who is terrorized by her barkeeping husband Serge (Stormare). After being beaten yet again, she leaves him and takes residence with Vianne. Soon, a boatload of drifters takes up on the shores of town including a handsome Roux (Depp), much to the dismay of both the Comte and the townspeople. Vianne and Anouk befriend Roux and his friends and family, leading to even more friction between them and the town. But both Vianne and Anouk are sick of going from town to town, and must decide whether to stay or move on. I was a bit apprehensive about seeing Chocolat, but I was pleasantly surprised. The film is a charming, sweet fable presented (most of the time) with a very light touch. Like the magical Like Water For Chocolate, attractive, sumptuous food is used to express love and community, and as a means of giving happiness and bringing people together. To the Comte and the priest, it is something which one must refrain from enjoying during the long season of Lent in order to build character to resist temptation. The Comte sees chocolate is a symbol of decadence, the thin edge of the wedge which might loosen his grip on the townspeople he tries to control. Like Hallstrom's Cider House Rules, a very liberal, humanistic spirit pervades the film. Tradition and self-denial is portrayed here as intolerant and repressive. Religion is used by the Comte and the priest, as a means to keep unsavoury ideas and people out of his quiet little town and maintain the "tranquility" the town has enjoyed for years. Religious faith is shown as narrow-minded and mean-spirited - it is Vianne who accepts the river people without reservation, and the townspeople who declare them a blight on their town's morality which much be scourged. But the townspeople lead lives with little joy. The anti-faith bias is not subtle, but the kind of religious intolerance and rigidity shown is unfortunately not always inaccurate. Binoche is excellently cast, exuding both warmth and strength as the outsider trying to win over the town. And Dench, as always, is sensational as the strong-willed matron, an outsider in her own town. Young Thivisol, amazing a few years back in the excellent Ponette is charming as the good-hearted girl yearning to be accepted by the town. Depp, Olin and even Moss acquit themselves well among a very strong cast. While the first half of the film is light and fun, gradually the Comte and religion are portrayed too simplisticly. We are manipulated a bit much in how we are supposed to view the good guys and the bad guys. And the Comte's fall from grace is, well, gracelessly handled and unnecessarily sours the taste of the film for awhile. But overall, Chocolat is a romantic film in the best sense of the word, and well worth a taste. If you would like to respond, please click the E-Mail Press Here To Go To The Review List Page