:
Juliette Binoche,
Juliette Binoche,
Lena Olin,
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:
Lasse Hallström,
Lasse Hallström
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: 
: Miramax
: Comedies, Romantic Comedy
: 122 min.
: English, French
: English, Spanish
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The most tempting of all sweets becomes the key weapon in a battle of sensual pleasure versus disciplined self-denial in this comedy. In 1959, a mysterious woman named Vianne (Juliette Binoche) moves with her young daughter into a small French village, where much of the community's activities are dominated by the local Catholic church. A few days after settling into town, Vianne opens up a confectionery shop across the street from the house of worship -- shortly after the beginning of Lent. While the townspeople are supposed to be abstaining from worldly pleasures, Vianne tempts them with unusual and delicious chocolate creations, using her expert touch to create just the right candy to break down each customer's resistance. With every passing day, more and more of Vianne's neighbors are succumbing to her sinfully delicious treats, but the Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina), the town's mayor, is not the least bit amused; he is eager to see Vianne run out of town before she leads the town into a deeper level of temptation. Vianne, however, is not to be swayed, and with the help of another new arrival in town, a handsome Irish Gypsy named Roux (Johnny Depp), she plans a "Grand Festival of Chocolate," to be held on Easter Sunday. Based on the novel by Joanne Harris, Chocolat features a distinguished supporting cast, including Judi Dench, Lena Olin, Carrie-Anne Moss, Peter Stormare, Hugh O'Conor, and Leslie Caron. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Please note that this disc contains the movie. If you'd like to see the bonus disc, please rent Chocolat: Bonus Disc.
Please note that this disc contains the movie. If you'd like to see the bonus disc, please rent Chocolat: Bonus Disc.
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| Has ambitions above its station
by Texan99
September 5, 2010 - 2:14 PM PDT
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| Beautifully filmed and acted little fairy story. The theme has nothing new to offer -- the usual modern morality tale about escaping the rigid confines of self-denial and finding oneself, with the established Church as the reliable villain. The story takes place during Lent; the townspeople's religion apparently consists entirely in mortifying their inner natures to no purpose whatever. Our heroine's magic chocolates transform everyone in time for Easter, when the repressed young priest tosses his planned sermon on rebirth and delivers a hazy tribute to tolerance and acceptance. But despite the hackneyed theme, the movie itself is fresh and delightful. The radiant Ms. Binoche seems to be channeling Ava Gardner, exploding in fabulous 1950s-style blood-red cocktail dresses right in the middle of this charcoal-gray village. Each villager who tries her chocolates wakes up and starts becoming fully human. The casting was fantastic: a lot of talent piled into one slight movie. I'm very amused to find that the actress whose face so arrested me was Carrie-Ann Moss. I couldn't place her at all. |
| Savory
by MLaRue
August 4, 2006 - 7:29 PM PDT
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1 out of 1 members found this review helpful
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| My wife and I return to this movie seasonally. More than a romantic flick about choco, this film deals with external bigotry in the face of an internal struggle to belong. And I choose Nipples of Venus. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 6.74)
270 Votes
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| Movies for Foodies |
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| I love food and I love watching movies about food. These are movies that inspire the palate, inspire the imagination, and wax poetic on all things culinary and gustatory. |
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