Chocolat
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In the winter of 1959, a single mother and her young daughter arrive in a rural French town, where they open an unusual chocolate shop that disrupts the moral fiber of the strictly Catholic townsfolk and mayor.
What critics thought
Chocolat landed in genuinely mixed territory at release: audiences embraced it far more warmly than critics did, and even the favorable reviews came with caveats about its lightness and easy moralizing. The fault line runs between those who found its fairy-tale sweetness charming and skillfully handled, and those who saw a self-satisfied, condescending film that mistakes whimsy for wisdom. Binoche's performance drew consistent admiration even from detractors.
“This crowd-pleaser is the feature-film version of milk chocolate: an art house movie for people who don't like art house movies.”
Elvis Mitchell·The New York Times
“Chocolat [...] is a richly textured comic fable that blends Old World wisdom with a winking, timely commentary on the assumed moral superiority of the political right.”
Lael Loewenstein·Variety
“Except for some indigestible whimsy Chocolat is yummy.”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“condescending, self-congratulatory attack on provincial sanctimony”
Dennis Lim·The Village Voice
“never enough goodies to keep the two-hour running time from seeming like three.”
Mike Clark·USA Today
Accolades
Genres
Drama, Romance
Cast & Crew
Lasse HallströmDirector
Juliette BinocheVianne Rocher
Judi DenchArmande Voizin
Alfred MolinaCount Paul de Reynaud
Lena OlinJosephine Muscat
Johnny DeppRoux
Hugh O'ConorFather Henri
Carrie-Anne MossCaroline Clairmont
John WoodGuillaume Blerot
Peter StormareSerge Muscat
Leslie CaronMrs. Audel
Victoire ThivisolAnouk Rocher
Aurelien Parent KoenigLuc Clairmont
Rachel PortmanComposer
Robert Nelson JacobsWriter
Roger PrattCinematographyChocolat
In the winter of 1959, a single mother and her young daughter arrive in a rural French town, where they open an unusual chocolate shop that disrupts the moral fiber of the strictly Catholic townsfolk and mayor.
What critics thought
Chocolat landed in genuinely mixed territory at release: audiences embraced it far more warmly than critics did, and even the favorable reviews came with caveats about its lightness and easy moralizing. The fault line runs between those who found its fairy-tale sweetness charming and skillfully handled, and those who saw a self-satisfied, condescending film that mistakes whimsy for wisdom. Binoche's performance drew consistent admiration even from detractors.
“This crowd-pleaser is the feature-film version of milk chocolate: an art house movie for people who don't like art house movies.”
Elvis Mitchell·The New York Times
“Chocolat [...] is a richly textured comic fable that blends Old World wisdom with a winking, timely commentary on the assumed moral superiority of the political right.”
Lael Loewenstein·Variety
“Except for some indigestible whimsy Chocolat is yummy.”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“condescending, self-congratulatory attack on provincial sanctimony”
Dennis Lim·The Village Voice
“never enough goodies to keep the two-hour running time from seeming like three.”
Mike Clark·USA Today
Accolades
Genres
Drama, Romance
Cast & Crew
Lasse HallströmDirectorJuliette BinocheVianne RocherJudi DenchArmande VoizinAlfred MolinaCount Paul de ReynaudLena OlinJosephine MuscatJohnny DeppRouxHugh O'ConorFather HenriCarrie-Anne MossCaroline ClairmontJohn WoodGuillaume BlerotPeter StormareSerge MuscatLeslie CaronMrs. AudelVictoire ThivisolAnouk RocherAurelien Parent KoenigLuc ClairmontRachel PortmanComposerRobert Nelson JacobsWriterRoger PrattCinematographyStream
Rent & Buy