Chocolat [M]

In the small French village of Lansquenet, the villagers are God-fearing and their town has been rooted in tradition for over a century. But one day, a clever north wind sweeps through the town, bringing with it free-spirited wandered Vianne Rocher and her daughter Anouk, who come to set up a chocolaterie. At first, Vianne’s presence and her treats are frowned upon by most of the God-fearing villagers, but to others they are a Godsend with the power to not only tantalise the tastebuds, but cure lost hopes, awaken unexpected desires, and fulfil unspoken passions. 

Oh, I absolutely adore this film! It’s an English student’s dream because you can look at it in practically any light and it has some wonderfully strong themes and messages about change, journeys, and acceptance. It’s a beautiful, rich, decadent film that one can never tire of and romantics, comics, dramatics, and chocoholics alike will absolutely melt. 

In the small French village of Lansquenet, the villagers are God-fearing and their town has been rooted in tradition for over a century. But one day, a clever north wind sweeps through the town, bringing with it free-spirited wanderer Vianne Rocher and her daughter Anouk, who come to Lansquenet to set up a chocolaterie during the Lenten period of abstinence. Vianne’s arrival and her treats are at first frowned upon by most of the villagers, but to others her chocolates are a Godsend that have the power to not only tantalise the tastebuds, but redeem lost hopes, awaken unexpected desires, and fulfil unspoken passions. 

Based on the novel by Joanne Harris, Chocolat is a wonderfully decadent movie that creates a really marvellous feeling of warmth and richness; the feeling that one experiences whilst indulging in good chocolate. The rich mixture of the memorable characters, the appealing story, the mesmerising soundtrack, the biting dramas, and the refreshing comedy, makes Chocolat a truly wondrous film that holds a new surprise for every time it is watched, making it a film that you can never get tired of. 

Without a doubt, my favourite thing about this movie, aside from Johnny Depp of course, is the contradictory mixture of characters and their transformations from who they’ve been judge to be into who they really are. The most notable of these is the character of Josephine, played just beautifully by Lena Olin. Josephine begins the film as a sad and frumpy character, but through her unwavering friendship with Vianne, she grows into this really beautiful and strong woman, surprising absolutely everyone, characters and audience, in the process. And Lena’s performance was absolutely enchanting! 

Starring Juliette Binoch, Lena Olin, Alfred Molina, Judi Dench, Carrie-Anne Moss, Peter Stormare, Victoire Thivisol, and Johnny Depp, Chocolat is a truly beautiful film that is filled with comedy, drama, outsiders, acceptance, conflicts, change, journeys, beautiful music, memorable characters, and chocolate, of course. Seriously, watching Vianne make her chocolates is the most hypnotising thing in the world and as the credits begin to roll, you have an overwhelming craving for chocolate. This movie is perfect for any audience at any time of day and can never be tired of. If you have not already seen it, I would highly recommend it!