Review of Chocolat (2000) by Taylor S — 07 Feb 2011

A charming and funny movie about being open to new experiences and moving past old grievances. The one thing I found odd about this tale was the casting. Although the story is set in a small village in France, I think only lead Juliette Binoche is actually French.

All the other major actors seem to be British, American, or Canadian. Their French accents range from okay to downright odd. That aside, this was an intriguing story of an outsider (Binoche) who sets up a chocolate shop in a tradition-bound village, at least partly to "heal" the villagers of their petty squabbles and arguments.

By the second half of the film, it's Binoche's character who's in need of some healing, as she realizes the effect her itinerant lifestyle is having on her daughter. It's an old theme, but told with style.