Chocolat

“Chocolat” is a wonderfully magical film based on the novel by Joanne Harris. Director Lasse Hallstrom indulges viewers with a story about a beautiful young mother, Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche), who comes to a fictional French village, called Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, accompanied by her 6-year-old daughter, Anouk (Victoire Thivisol). She opens a deliciously small chocolaterie, called “La Chocolaterie Maya,” and begins to change the townspeople's lives with her exquisite chocolates.

Like her ancestors before her, she follows the North wind which leads her across the country to the tranquil, repressed village. Although she touches the lives of people in a positive way with the chocolate, her store also brings about angst among the people suspicious of her intentions. Shortly after her arrival, Vianne's savory confections begin to have a profound allure to the villagers, as her talent for finding people's favorites begins to reveal to her customers that their problems can be easily solved with sweet chocolate. She restores the life of a married couple with an aphrodisiac, gives an elderly man courage to face his secret love, brings comfort to a willful diabetic and lends support to a weird woman who wishes to leave her abusive husband.

Nonetheless, the strict village mayor, Comte Paule de Reynaud (Alfre Molina), visualizes Vianne to be an immoral provocateur and does everything in his power to make things difficult for her. The battle hits an all time high when a band of gypsies' camp on the outskirts of the village, and Vianne cannot stop herself from being attracted to an Irish wanderer, Roux (Johnny Depp), who finds himself mutually attracted to her.

Written by: Jennifer Chan

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