Beautiful movie from master-director Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules, The Shipping News, What's Eating Gilbert Grape) with wonderful performances by Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, and Hallström's wife Lena Olin. "Chocolat" is a very beautiful and touching movie about a single mother with a daughter who decides to open a "chocolaterie" in a very conservative village during Lent. What follows almost looks like a fairytale: the characters, the story, the music, the whole idea of an old conservative French village…

I liked the movie a lot. It has everything: a laugh, a cry, a wonderful story and some amazing acting performances. Juliette Binoche is made to play this kind of caring and sensitive women. Although Johnny Depp had a very small part in this movie, he was excellent as always. I personally think that Judi Dench gave one of her best performances in "Chocolat", truly great acting! Maybe not Hallström's best; I liked "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" and "The Cider House Rules" more; but certainly worth watching.

8/10

I actually was rooting for "Chocolat" to win Best Picture for 2000. If you're the type who easily gives in to temptation, then this is the movie for you. Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche) and her daughter open a chocolate shop in a small French town where the mayor has suppressed all forms of happiness. But once Vianne and her daughter start selling their chocolates, things start to change for the better. And some people in town don't like that.

"Chocolat" reminded me of "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar"...in a good way. The idea of an outsider coming in and upsetting the status quo always makes a good movie. This is a movie that neither your eyes, mouth or stomach can afford to miss.

Chocolat is a good film. The plot is indeed very good, and despite being simple at a first sight it have various layers and subtle symbolism, specifically in the 'chocolate' types. For example, for the boy with a spicy personality, bitter chocolate she offered. And to the woman depressed, scarred by life,with bitter personality, she then offered spicy chocolate. The chocolat itself represented some kind of a freedom and liberation of the repressed side of the persons. Very interesting, and it's definitely a film to be appreciated. The way the city reacts is also very curious. The characters which appears in the film have special kind of personality and a subtle meaning in them as well. And is up to the viewer to discover what these meanings are.

The art direction is also good, very suggestive and definitely is important to the film overall. The natural aura that the film exudes has much to do with the excellent work in the lightning and in the scenario,with rudimentary, but harmful stores in the small Italian city. The soundtrack is wonderful, and fits perfectly each scene. The acting is overall very good, Alfred Molina,Julliete Binoche and Judi Dench specifically are stunning in their roles.

I highly recommend this film. 8.2/10