Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 0786936146288 Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC Label: Walt Disney Video Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Walt Disney Video Release Date: August 07, 2001 Running Time: 121 minutes Studio: Walt Disney Video Theatrical Release Date: January 05, 2001 Sales Rank: 10260
Amazon.com: With movies like Chocolat, it's always best to relax your intellectual faculties and absorb the abundant sensual pleasures, be it the heart-stopping smile of chocolatier Juliette Binoche as she greets a new customer, an intoxicating cup of spiced hot cocoa, or the soothing guitar of an Irish gypsy played by Johnny Depp. Adapted by Robert Nelson Jacobs from Joanne Harris's popular novel and lovingly directed by Lasse Hallström, the film covers familiar territory and deals in broad metaphors that even a child could comprehend, so it's no surprise that some critics panned it with killjoy fervor. Their objections miss the point. Familiarity can be comforting and so can easy metaphors when placed in a fable that's as warmly inviting as this one.
Driven by fate, Vianne (Binoche) drifts into a tranquil French village with her daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol, from Ponette) in the winter of 1959. Her newly opened chocolatier is a source of attraction and fear, since Vianne's ability to revive the villagers' passions threatens to disrupt their repressive traditions. The pious mayor (Alfred Molina) sees Vianne as the enemy, and his war against her peaks with the arrival of "river rats" led by Roux (Depp), whose attraction to Vianne is immediate and reciprocal. Splendid subplots involve a battered wife (Lena Olin), a village elder (Judi Dench), and her estranged daughter (Carrie-Anne Moss), and while the film's broader strokes may be regrettable (if not for Molina's rich performance, the mayor would be a caricature), its subtleties are often sublime. Chocolat reminds you of life's simple pleasures and invites you to enjoy them. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Mmmmm Chocolate...
Loved this movie. It's cute and simple, yet has a lot of messages about life and people and religious dogmas. Total chick flick. My boyfriend didn't make it through.
Rating: - A delicious treat
Based on the novel by Joanne Harris, the film "Chocolat" takes a lot of liberties with the book's story, but is still a very good film. The movie revolves around a mysterious woman, Vianne (Juliette Binoche), who arrives rather suddenly to a remote French village with her young daughter in tow. Vianne quickly settles in and establishes a chocolate shop, which instantly becomes the talk of the town. While certain people are intrigued by this fascinating woman and her sinfully sweet candies, other ... Read More
Rating: - Extending Grace
"Chocolat," in my view is all about grace. The most gracious, and therefore, most appealing characters, are surprising, because their histories do not necessarily lend themselves to producing such winsome people. The characters who should be gracious - because they have "sort-of" connections with the God of grace, are judgmental, legalistic and mean-spirited and wound-too-tightly. Hence the tension in this film is nearly palpable. I recommend it highly.
Rating: - Johnny Depp Dipped in Chocolat
There are so many good things about this movie I hardly know where to start. Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, and Chocolate. This is a movie anyone would enjoy and I could not find it anywhere but at Amazon. This is a real prize that I'm waiting to share with my daughters.
Rating: - wonderful movie - especially if you love chocolate
This movie is very good. The best part of the movie to me is when the minister says that we should think about what God is FOR rather than what He is AGAINST! Very profound. All of the scenes of chocolate making, stirring, serving, etc. are wonderful. The story is very good too. Well worth watching and savoring!
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