Chocolat (2000)

Chocolat

Call No: PN1997 .C445 2000b

Chocolat has always been one of those movies that I’m familiar with, but I’ve never seen. I knew it was based on a book that I’d never read. I knew it was nominated for a few Oscars that it didn’t win. And, because I have a sister and a mother who are both die-hard fans, I knew it had Johnny Depp. I watched the film and expected some kind of romantic storyline, maybe even of the rom-com variety. What I saw was something deeper than what the general summary suggested there would be.

Make no mistake, there is some romance, but it is hardly the center of the film. Juliette Binoche plays Vianne, a single mother who moves on with her daughter to a new life every time the north wind blows. Unfortunately for her, the new town she moves into is very traditional and religious, hardly a promising place to open her new chocolate shop, especially in the middle of Lent. Despite the scorn of the mayor (Alfred Molina) and townspeople, Vianne stirs up changes and manages to befriend a cynical old woman (Judi Dench), a frightened wife (Lena Olin), and a river drifter (Johnny Depp) in the process. But the troubles of Vianne and her friends are far from simple, and it is only a matter of time before the north wind blows again.

What struck me most about the film was the depth of the characters. I was amazed at how invested I became, not just in Vianne’s story, but in everyone’s. While Vianne is the one who keeps all of the stories together, everyone has some kind of a problem, and the film takes the time to look at each of these problems without straying from the main character or becoming too bogged down in details. By the end of the film, you feel as if you know all of the characters in the town, their problems and struggles, and how they were solved. At no part of the film did I become bored with someone’s story or wish we could go back to another character. All of the stories are equally powerful and thought-provoking.

Vianne gives more than chocolate to the people of the small French town

One thing that surprised me was how little Johnny Depp was in the film. Being featured on the front cover and billed as one of the first five actors, I was surprised to find that he didn’t appear until the second half of the film (especially since Carrie-Ann Moss, of Matrix fame, was in almost the entire picture and was credited after him). Even after he did appear it wasn’t for an extensive length of time, and he vanished for almost the last twenty minutes. This was most likely to allow other characters to interact and other problems to get solved. Still, he was an enjoyable addition to the group ensemble of the film. He played his role with a quiet and humble grace that made him enjoyable to watch.

It’s hard to think of anything negative to say about the film. Since I knew almost nothing going into it, I was pleasantly surprised by the viewing experience. Although, if you are a fan of chocolate as much as I am, you should not watch this film with any sort of an appetite. The goodies, hot chocolates and cakes that Vianne makes may cause a craving for dessert.

Then again, that could have been just me.