# Chocolat (2000)

### reviewed by
Homer Yen

    "Chocolat" - A Semisweet Fable

Once upon a time in a little French village, a "sly wind blew in from the north." With it came a radiant woman named Vianne (Juliette Binoche) who would descend upon the sleepy hamlet. Through her own unique brand of wide-eyed optimism and a delectable recipe for making savory chocolate candies, she would instill a new sense of life into its soporific citizens.

Some, however, saw her as a threat to the village's tranquility. This place, lifted from the pages of a fairy tale book, seems to have been untouched by the passage of time. And the morally staunch Mayor Compte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina) wanted to make sure that its sanctity would remain intact. To him, she was a Succubus who brought temptation. Vianne would politely decline to go to church although everyone else in the village would attend. She also opens up her chocolate shop during Lent, creating an uncomfortable challenge to the citizens as they pass by. The wonderfully decorated window display, filled with her delightful array of confections, could easily turn anybody's head. Needless to say, the Mayor was not pleased.

On the surface, "Chocolat" is a fairly sweet drama about how Vianne struggles to gain acceptance in a village that has trouble accepting outsiders. But beneath its sugarcoated surface, the story is a parable about the forces of Christianity that battle the forces of paganism.

Here, Christianity and the Mayor are portrayed as prudish concepts that extol discipline and reverence. The Mayor has a narrow view about how things should be done. He even goes so far as to edit all of the sermons that are given in Church. Of course, most of the language has been altered to indirectly denounce the presence of Vianne and her shop. But his sermons are no match for Vianne's mysterious chocolate creations. The town soon finds her shop to be something of a clinic for their vapid souls. There's something magical about the cacao powder that she uses. But the movie never elaborates on whether she is an evil priestess or whether she has some kind of hidden agenda. But it is clear that she does represent paganism, from the lavish decorum in her shop to her off-the-shoulder outfits to her status as an unwed mother to her attraction with a raffish boat captain (Johnny Depp). Whatever great power she may possess, she seems just fine dispensing advice along with her chocolates.

As a result, good things begin to happen. Many villagers benefit from its effects in one way or another. Even the Mayor is affected. But, the most tender subplot involves the divide between a cranky grandmother (Judi Dench) and her daughter (Carrie Anne-Moss).

Despite its allegorical references, the film opts to be more of a whimsical fairy tale rather than an ambitious piece of work. The majority of the film, for example, takes place in two or three locations giving it the feel of an off-Broadway production. Meanwhile, most of the screentime is focused on dialogue exchanged between Vianne and those that she has touched. Although the ensemble performance made this movie enjoyable on its own sweet level, the drama didn't nearly have the potency of Vianne's chocolates. Some of that magic was needed to make this a truly memorable film.

    Grade: B-

    S:        1 out of 3
    L:        0 out of 3
    V:        1 out of 3

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