Review: Chocolate

The Film I Have Seen Recently

Chocolate is a film, which I have seen many times. Director Lasse Hallstrom has a gift for telling poetic stories. This film is uncovered evidence of it. The main characters are Juliette Binoche as Vianne Rocher and Johnny Depp as Roux.

The film focuses on the traditions in the small rural French town of Lansquenet. Vianne with her daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol) arrived here. Vianne´s decision to open a chocolate shop during Lent immediately incurs the displeasure of Comte de Reynaud (Molina) the town's figurehead and moral conscience. He wants her to eject from their town.

But Vianne has a positive influence for the abused Josephine Muscat (Lena Olin), who became her friend and a helper in a shop. Vianne´s chocolate reunite the lonely Armande Voizin (Judi Dench), with her estranged grandson. Later on she teams up with a local gypsy Roux.

Soon the village folk are drooling over her chocolate and discovering their own individuality and new sense of freedom...

Chocolate is a fairy tale with no small pretensions and tremendous charm. I like it for its simplicity, nice music, good acting performances and a total atmosphere.