1960, a small town in France. Vianne Rocher (Julietter Binoche) and her preteen daughter move into town and open a chocolate shop just as Lent is beginning. The town's small-minded mayor Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina) can't accept this and does his best to shut her down, but her warm personality and incredible chocolates manage to win over many townsfolk. Things get shaken up even more when a group of river drifters, led by Roux (Johnny Depp), stop into town (to the even greater distress of the mayor) and Vianne takes up with Roux.
This might be a lesser-known movie because it was up against Gladiator, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Traffic and Erin Brockovich at the box office (and in the Best Picture race). But you shouldn't overlook it. It's a unique little movie that's rather entertaining.
My Rating: ****
The one problem I did have with this film that at times the film thought the only way the town could be happy was through eating chocolate[ or i should say chocolat}. And this seems very unbelievable because the townspeople never change their ways just their eating habits.
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