Chocolat
Johnny Depp, Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin
Like the rich treat it is named after, Chocolat is
overly sweet and without nutritional value. A
whimsical romantic fable directed by Lasse
Hallstr�m (The Cider House Rules), the film
tells the story of a beautiful unwed mother
(Binoche) who shows up with her young
daughter in a French village and opens a
gourmet chocolate shop. Soon, half the folks
in town are benefiting from the magically
aphrodisiac and rejuvenating qualities of her
wares while others, including the moralistic
mayor (Alfred Molina), are denouncing her Depp (left) and Binoche think candy is dandy in Chocolat.
because she's peddling candy during Lent.
Binoche and Depp (playing a cute Irish drifter who floats into town on a riverboat) make a fetching pair, but Chocolat runs longer than either its Hershey's Kiss-size plot or sugary charm warrant. While pleasant enough, its mixing of food, romance and magic is a recipe already better confected in 1992's Like Water for Chocolate. (PG-13)
Bottom Line: For serious sweet tooths only
-- LEAH ROZEN
Posted on December 28, 2000 |
