Chocolat

Finally I got round to watching this lovely film. Juliette Binoche is the lead, Vianne, who opens a chocolate shop in a small Catholic town in France. She is an unmarried mother who is causes all sorts of scandal by having the nerve to open a chocolate shop in Lent. Most of the town are scared of Mayor Comte De Raynaud (Alfred Molina) who gets the new priest to preach what about denial and sin. Vianne befriends old lady Armande (Judi Dench), who likes to enjoy life and is not a churchgoer. She also helps other people in the village with their problems, and soon some start to trust her. Later some travelling river folk set up by the river and Vianne befriends Roux (Johnny Depp) and eventually persuades her friends that they mean no harm.

Chocolat is a lovely film, and it is nice to see how this woman overcomes the prejudices in a small town, although it is very much a work of fiction. The supporting cast is also excellent.

7.5/10