Chocolat (Miramax Collector's Series) |  | Director: Lasse Hallström
Actors: Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina, Carrie-Anne Moss, Aurelien Parent Koenig
Studio: Miramax
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.99
Buy New: $4.90
as of 9/9/2010 07:48 CDT details
You Save: $10.09 (67%)
New (54) Used (57) Collectible (1) from $2.13
Seller: inetvideo
Rating:  433 reviews
Sales Rank: 871
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Running Time: 122 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 02168200
ISBN: 0788827006
UPC: 786936145076
EAN: 9780788827006
ASIN: B00005K3OT
Theatrical Release Date: 2000
Release Date: August 7, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
CHOCOLAT - MIRAMAX COLLECTOR'S SERIES
Amazon.com
With movies like Chocolat, it's always best to relax your intellectual faculties and absorb the abundant sensual pleasures, be it the heart-stopping smile of chocolatier Juliette Binoche as she greets a new customer, an intoxicating cup of spiced hot cocoa, or the soothing guitar of an Irish gypsy played by Johnny Depp. Adapted by Robert Nelson Jacobs from Joanne Harris's popular novel and lovingly directed by Lasse Hallström, the film covers familiar territory and deals in broad metaphors that even a child could comprehend, so it's no surprise that some critics panned it with killjoy fervor. Their objections miss the point. Familiarity can be comforting and so can easy metaphors when placed in a fable that's as warmly inviting as this one. Driven by fate, Vianne (Binoche) drifts into a tranquil French village with her daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol, from Ponette) in the winter of 1959. Her newly opened chocolatier is a source of attraction and fear, since Vianne's ability to revive the villagers' passions threatens to disrupt their repressive traditions. The pious mayor (Alfred Molina) sees Vianne as the enemy, and his war against her peaks with the arrival of "river rats" led by Roux (Depp), whose attraction to Vianne is immediate and reciprocal. Splendid subplots involve a battered wife (Lena Olin), a village elder (Judi Dench), and her estranged daughter (Carrie-Anne Moss), and while the film's broader strokes may be regrettable (if not for Molina's rich performance, the mayor would be a caricature), its subtleties are often sublime. Chocolat reminds you of life's simple pleasures and invites you to enjoy them. --Jeff Shannon
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 433
 Pretty. pleasant, predictable August 23, 2010
R. Swanson (New Mexico)
I love little old French villages, Johnny Depp and chocolate....so I was willing to put up with a certain amount of nonsense to enjoy this film. As they say, "take the good and leave the rest."
The "good" -- the lovely scenery and the cast. Juliette Binoche is a charming actress who has made magic in other films; here...not so much. Maybe it was the way the character was written but I found myself almost disliking her by the end of the film. Judi Dench is always wonderful and here she does the best she can with a hopeless character. Alfred Molina brings a one-dimensional character to life and deserves high marks for his performance. The child actress who plays Binoche's daughter is beautiful and successfully avoids being overly cute. Lena Olin is ok as the abused wife who brightens up when helped by Binoche. Johnny Depp has a small part, which is a shame since he steals every scene in which he appears. He underplays his part beautifully which adds to his immense charm. I liked his faint Irish accent, too. It was lovely to see the beautiful Leslie Caron in a very small role.
From reading other reviews I get the idea that the novel from which the book is taken is presented more as a fairy tale than a realistic story. I can see how that would work very well. If the director had stuck to that idea the story would have gone down better. (no pun intended). The opening scene with the two women blowing in on a "sly wind from the North" dressed in red woolen capes is very charming.
The problem is that the film is presented as real life, and that's where it begins to offend. Instead of archetypes, we get stereotypes....the repressed, religious people of the town are all really nasty and hateful, whereas the free thinkers are the generous spirited ones with hearts of gold. And chocolate heals all. Several other reviewers have written some excellent critiques of this presentation and I recommend them.
The treatment of the Judi Dench character is another huge mistake. She is diabetic but chooses to celebrate her birthday by indulging in sweets, which results in her death. I guess we're supposed to think this is really "gutsy" and "charming" but it didn't sit well with me. I could pick at other details which illustrate the mistaken "morality" of this sorry story, but I'll let anyone interested read some of the one and two star reviews.
Still, it's France and there is an attempt in the end to resolve the town differences. If you have to see a sappy story, it's good to have lovely scenery and then get to watch Johnny Depp for a few minutes.
ok.. August 18, 2010
Bree
I guess it doesn't count when you change the wrapping and add a note there after you purchase it. Then what's the point of giving you that option.
 Johnny Depp in Chocolat June 9, 2010
D. Jenness (Wisconsin)
I LOVE Johnny Depp and this movie is hot! For anyone who enjoys movies including Depp, I guarantee a winner with this one.
 Boring pointless story! May 24, 2010
jesus4me (MD USA)
0 out of 8 found this review helpful
I am just now seeing this movie for the first time in 2010 (lol). However, it is classified as a "romance" film so I decided to check it out. This is far from a romantic storyline. I was hoping to see more of Johnny Depp in the film but he had a passing character that showed up mid-film, had a brief encounter with the main character, then disappears again until the end of the film. The whole storyline is dull and pointless. The main character opens a chocolate shop and the town is against it and the mayor goes through everything to sabatoge her store. For what? It's just a chocolate store not a strip club. Who would go through all of that to close down a shop that sells candy? I just found the story to be ridiculous. The acting was excellent, the set, costumes and classic French town were beautiful but the movie left much to the imagination. I was highly disappointed!
videos - Chocolat May 13, 2010
Edward C. Redden (St. Louis, MO)
The videos are what I wanted. The price was good. Delivery was prompt. All was in order.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 433
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