Chocolat

Originally published on social media June 15th, 2022

Within the first few seconds of this film, you are hooked. Yes those seconds might be dedicated to showing credits, but the soundtrack is mysterious, romantic, peaceful, and it instantly awakens the imagination. It gradually shows an overview of the French village and it is something out of a fairy tale. If that’s not enough, the film is literally called Chocolat, and that is a hook in and of itself…am I right?

Let me just say, if you love chocolate as much as I do, you will love the cinematography of this film. The chocolate is not only delicious in this film, but it’s an art form that deserves to be in a museum as well as a way of healing the needs of the soul.

Yes this film is about chocolate, but it’s more complex than that. Chocolat is about a woman who opens a chocolaterie in a religious village in the midst of lent. There are many layers to the plot that discuss both the simple impacts of good chocolate and how it can mend relationships or save someone’s life. With all that being said, chocolate is a form of religious tradition for the main character Vianne, but something that Christians of the village gradually begin to enjoy over the course of the film. Yet, the most fascinating dynamic at play in this film is how something as simple as chocolate can expose the faults in a society and in being overly religious. Perhaps in trying to maintain a healthy relationship with God, we can lose our balance and either become too strict with ourselves or too indulgent in things of this world. Either way, what matters most is where your heart is and how you treat people in response.

Oh did I mention that this film takes place during the winter of 1959? The wardrobe is absolutely lovely, and the way people talk to each other is classy. That’s what I love about good historical fiction and about watching older films in general is hearing the way people hold a conversation. People were able to express their feelings in a bolder and honest way without hiding behind a screen. I admire that.