Film Review: Chocolat (2000)

Not all Oscar-grabbing dramas have to be dark depressive dramas about persons struck with physical or mental afflictions. Some of them actually might be light-hearted and even entertaining to the general audience. One such film is Chocolat, 2000 drama directed by Lasse Halström.

Film is based on the best-selling novel by British author Joanne Harris. The plot is set in 1959 France and begins when Vianne Rocher (played by Juliette Binoche), woman who wander around the country with her young daughter Anouk (played by Victoire Thivisol), decides to settle in small town and open a pastry shop. This doesn’t sit well with town’s mayor Comte de Reynaud (played by Alfred Molina), a staunch conservative who fears that the offer of chocolate and similar culinary delights could tempt his co-citizens during the Lent. Vianne, however, quickly wins hearts and minds and proves to be positive influence on the town. She helps her elderly landlady Armande (played by Judi Dench) to reconnect with estranged daughter Caroline (played by Carrie-Ann Moss), while also sheltering Josephine Muscat (played by Lena Olin) from her abusive husband Serge (played by Peter Stormare), a cafe owner. Things get complicated when the town is visited by group of travelling Gypsies whose leader Roux (played by Johnny Depp) starts romantic relationship with Vianne.

Chocolat was produced by Harvey Weinstein’s Miramax and represented an attempt to repeat the success of his previous Oscar-grabbing film The Cider House Rules. New film used the same formula – prestigious literary source, period setting, highly respected cast, little bit of “political correctness” and almost Dickensian levels of sentimentality. It was also directed by Lasse Halström who did mostly solid job, delivering nice, undemanding, reasonably entertaining but ultimately unremarkable film that drowns in cliches. Almost anything that is going to happen in the film, including the ultimate outcome of the conflict between hedonism embodied in Vianne’s chocolate and Reynaud’s repressive mindset, can be predicted even by less experienced viewers. Further problem is Hallström’s problems with pacing which would make Chocolat more challenging to less patient viewers. Romantic subplot involving Vianne and Roux looks like an afterthought and only contributes to film’s excessive running time. Chocolat, unlike The Cider House Rules, failed in its quest for Oscars, being nominated in five categories and winning none. Those who watch happen to watch it and even those that like would hardly see that outcome unjustifed.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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