Chocolat:
Not as indulging as expected
Ruwini JAYAWARDANA
Lasse Halstrom’s five Oscar nominated Chocolat is a conservation vs
freedom movie which works towards establishing a new social order in the
society. The object from which the movie derives its title is used as a
metaphor for welcoming passion and delight.
Binoche and Johnny Depp as Vianne and Roux |
Based on Joanne Harris’ book of the same name Chocolat centres on a
tranquil fictional French village named Lansquenet in 1959. The heroine
of the tale is Vianne Rocher who opens a Chocolaterie during Lent and
adds a splash of colour and difference to the drab lifestyle of its
occupants. The story opens with tantalizing scenes of how traditional
chocolate is made are finally put on display at the window. After such
enticing displays the camera focuses on the drab environs of the village
where life seems mechanical. The occupants are made to curb their
desires in the name of religion and these rules are enforced on them by
the Comte de Reynaud who is the villain of the story.
Just when the situation seems hopeless Vianne enters the scene with
her charming young daughter, Anouk. The two have been moving from city
to city, weaving their magic and spreading cheer into the life of other
human beings.
Vianne’s act of opening a chocolate shop in the pious village during
holy Lent itself is a shocking novelty. Later the second shock comes
because Vianne reveals that she is not one who would attend the
traditional Mass dutifully like the other villagers. This element adds
further distaste to the Comte’s opinion of her but the generous lady
slowly begins breaking down some of the prejudices of the villagers
through her goodwill.
Juliette Binoche as Vianne Rocher |
Apart from an amusing tale, Chocolat also reveals how its namesake
came to be. Vianne tells the folklore of how her ancestors, the Mayan
Indians, make ancient formulas for remedies. Though Vianne’s mother was
a Mayan woman who had been brought to France by her husband, she could
not bear the conventional life and was lured away by the mysterious call
of the north wind to travel from place to place curing other living
beings with her chocolate formula.
Though the characters are amusingly etched, the storyline is
presented a slow pacing fashion which does not generate excitement.
Humour is hardly present except in instances such as when a local couple
is able to rekindle their marriage when the man eats some of the magical
chocolates left near the bin by his affection-starved wife.
The story also reminds us of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s 1997 novel
‘The Mistress of Spices’ which was made into a movie by Paul Mayeda
Berges in 2005. However unlike Divakaruni’s Tilo who is on the verge of
losing her own magical powers because of her desire for love, Harris’
Vianne does not shy away from indulging in a romance with Roux. However
like Tilo, Vianne too helps repair family ties like in the case of
bringing an artistic young boy to break free from his mother’s rigid
rules and unite with his roguish grandmother. Much like Tilo, Vianne
also saves an abused housewife from her husband’s tyranny and helps her
to find a voice for herself.
However unlike in The Mistress of Spices Vianne is able to continue
with her life in the village once its inhabitants begins to accept her.
Even the Count falls under the chocolate’s spell and learns to let
bygones be bygones and look towards a brighter future. With him
succumbing to his natural instincts the whole village is liberated.
Though the north wind returns after her deed is done and calls the
half-Mayan woman to another designation, Vianne throws her wanderlust to
the wind and decides to make her home in Lansquenet.
There are several underlying themes in the movie: the nobility using
the church as a means of exercising their power of the common folk and
the need to liberate repressed instincts to lead a life worth living.
Juliette Binoche makes a lively Vianne. She captures her character’s
warm eccentricity with zest. Her slight, knowing smirk is infectious and
says what needs to be said without using words or gestures. Judi Dench
is fitting as the difficult landlady who eventually wins her love and
trust because she is not a conventionalist. Alfred Molina, Lena Olin and
Carrie-Anne Moss are convincing in their characters. Hugh O’Conor
provides comic relief as the young priest who is hounded by the Count. A
disappointing element in Chocolat is that the dashing Johnny Depp is not
given enough screen presence. His talents are wasted in brief
appearances as the guitar-plucking traveler Roux.
Chocolat is alluring wrapped with some of the finest actors taking
part in the production. Yet the movie is too lengthy and monotonous to
make you develop an appetite for it. |