Chocolat (2000)

A woman and her daughter open a chocolate shop in a small French village that shakes up the rigid morality of the community.

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers:

Joanne Harris (novel), Robert Nelson Jacobs (screenplay)

Stars:

Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 31 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alfred Molina	...	Comte de Reynaud
Carrie-Anne Moss	...	Caroline Clairmont
Aurelien Parent Koenig	...	Luc Clairmont (as Aurèlien Parent Koenig)
Antonio Gil	...	Jean-Marc Drou (as Antonio Gil-Martinez)
Hélène Cardona	...	Francoise 'Fuffi' Drou
Harrison Pratt	...	Dedou Drou
Gaelan Connell	...	Didi Drou
Élisabeth Commelin	...	Yvette Marceau (as Elisabeth Commelin)
Ron Cook	...	Alphonse Marceau
Guillaume Tardieu	...	Baptiste Marceau
Hugh O'Conor	...	Father Henri
John Wood	...	Guillaume Blérot
Lena Olin	...	Josephine Muscat
Peter Stormare	...	Serge Muscat
Leslie Caron	...	Madame Audel

Storyline

When single mother Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche) and her six-year-old daughter, Anouk (Victoire Thivisol) move to rural France and open a chocolate shop, with Sunday hours, across the street from the local church, they are met with some skepticism. But as soon as they coax the townspeople into enjoying their delicious products, they are warmly welcomed.

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Plot Keywords:

chocolate | france | village | food | chocolate shop | 

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Taglines:

...and the world is still indulging!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for a scene of sensuality and some violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

Roux's (Johnny Depp's) boat, Reine (Queen) Tora, is named for director Lasse Hallström's daughter Tora.

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Goofs

When Vianne and Anouk first meet Roux at the dock, it is an overcast day. Yet while Vianne and Anouk are shot in the "overcast" light, Roux is shot with a light on his left side, as if the sun was setting.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Storyteller: Once upon a time, there was a quiet little village in the French countryside, whose people believed in Tranquilité - Tranquility.
[Sunday morning congregation sings]
Storyteller: If you lived in this village, you understood what was expected of you. You knew your place in the scheme of things. And if you happened to forget, someone would help remind you.
[wife kicks sleeping husband in pew]
Father Henri: The season of Lent is upon us. This is of course a time of abstinence. Hopefully also it's a time of ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Conan O'Brien/Don Henley (2001)

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Soundtracks

God Of Mercy And Compassion
Written by Edmund Vaughan (as E. Vaughan)/Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (as G. Pergolesi)

User Reviews

What a wise and beautiful movie!

I saw Chocolat again last night. I had forgotten how lovely a movie it is! People need stories like this these days.

Some other viewers have complained about the predictability of the plot. I don't think it's any more predictable than an average Hollywood film; I find most action films much more predictable and shallow.

The most beautiful thing about the movie (as about Hallström movies generally) is the wise, warm-hearted story about things that matter: love, sincerity, tolerance, standing up for the things you believe are righteous and good, and enjoying the simple pleasures in life, like a good dinner with friends, or like chocolate :) And Hallström tells his stories so delicately, in his very own style, with fine nuances and a twinkle of humour in his eye. Binoche, Dench, Depp, Molina, Thivisol etc. are fantastic.

I'm so glad I saw the movie. It always makes me think and feel a lot.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official YouTube

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

19 January 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Chocolat

Filming Locations:

Noyers-sur-Serein, Yonne, France

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$157,624, 17 December 2000

Gross USA:

$71,509,363

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$152,699,976

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax, David Brown Productions, Fat Free

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1