Faith Review of Film
Erin Brooke Woodall Mills
Film Title: Chocolat
Year: 2000
Director(s): Lasse Hallström (also well known for directing The Cider House Rules, for which
he was nominated for an Academy Award) and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape)
Original release form/venue: Originally released for viewing in theaters
Current availability and formats: DVD/Blu ray, Netflix
Genre: Drama/Romance (not really a comedy, though it is often categorized as such)
Story elements: Chocolat is the story of Vianne, a chocolatier and single mother, and her
daughter Anouk, who travel from town to town. One day, they arrive in the small town of
Lansquenet-sous-Tannes in the French countryside. This town is conservative and more
specifically, repressed. Everyone dresses in drab colors, attends Mass every Sunday under the
watchful eyes of the town’s mayor, the Comte de Reynaud, and never puts a toe out of line.
When the newcomer Vianne opens a chocolaterie in the middle of the town during Lent, a battle
ensues between her and the mayor who promises to run her out of town before Easter. While
some in the town befriend Vianne, others work against her (whether they want to or not) at the
bequest of the Mayor.
It is interesting that Chocolat was largely promoted as a comedy upon its release in 2000.
Anyone who has seen the film would likely find this categorization a little odd. Yes, the film is
funny at times, but its comedy comes more in the form of comic relief than frequent kneeslapping and laugh out loud moments. It is much more appropriately characterized as a drama,
for this is the core of the film- the dramatic tension around the lead character’s situation and
whether or not she and the town will live happily ever after. There is also a romantic component
to Chocolat, not just between characters themselves, but between the characters and chocolate.
It is the latter relationship viewers will long to be a part of.
The characters in Chocolat are wonderfully complex, each with their own individual
stories that help create the larger tale. Vianne and the Conte are the main characters in Chocolat,
for their conflict is at the center of the story, but the cast of supporting characters are what really
make this film extraordinary. Several of the actors in the film are well known (Alfred Molina,
Juliet Binoche, Dame Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Carrie-Anne Moss and Lena Olin), but many
are not, and the film is most certainly not a star vehicle. Johnny Depp, arguably the biggest star,
does not even enter the picture until halfway through the movie.
Chocolat begins with the words “once upon a time”, spoken by the film’s narrator, whom
we will come to find out is the grown Anouk, the daughter of the chocolatier, Vianne, in the
story. This narration occurs only three times in the film, but at critical points. Most importantly,
the narration both opens and closes the film, enhancing the feeling that what the audience is
about to see and has just seen is a tale from a storybook. The film moves at a lovely pace, not
too fast and not too slow, and the central themes of inclusion versus exclusion, hospitality, and
what it means to be a Christian community quickly emerge when Vianne comes to town.
Film language elements: Though story elements, particularly the beautifully rich characters,
well-paced plot, and mystical atmosphere, are essential to the development and impact of
Chocolat on its audience, perhaps even more critical are the striking film techniques used
throughout the movie. From the opening sequence, we are made aware that wind will play a
significant role in the story that is about to unfold. The fact that Vianne and her daughter Anouk
arrive in Lansquenet-sous-Tannes “with the wind” serves not only as a foreshadowing of things
to come, but also hints at a certain spirit that surrounds this family. Wind can be disruptive – it
stirs up leaves and dust, blows open doors and windows and upsets the “tranquilité” the villagers
work so hard to maintain. This is how wind is depicted in the opening sequence of Chocolat.
The villagers huddle together in their black and grey clothes in a church that appears dark and
drafty when a sudden gust of wind that has ripped through the town throws open the church
doors and disrupts their solemn worship. Disgusted, the town’s Mayor, the Comte de Reynaud,
marches to the back of the church and, with his perfectly combed hair temporarily displaced,
slams the doors shut. His face betrays his thoughts…he fears something is up.
The wind reappears at several points in the film, always suggesting (particularly when
combined with certain pieces of music) an uneasiness within the character or characters as if it is
calling them somewhere else. Wind is what brings the boats of “morally corrupt river people” to
Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, it is what called Vianne’s mother from village to village and now calls
Vianne, it is what blows through the town after Armande Voizin, whom Vianne has befriended,
passes away after an evening of decadence, and it is what threatens to take Vianne to yet another
town though her daughter and many townspeople wish her to stay. Finally, it is what carries
away the ashes of Vianne’s mother as Vianne throws them over the balcony, releasing her from a
life of wandering from village to village. Each time the wind plays a major role in the story,
camera angles and framing (e.g. with Vianne alone on the edge of the pier letting the wind whip
around her) emphasize its effect on the plot and the characters.
Intentional use of images also enhances the impact of another significant character in the
film – food. Food is a starring player in Chocolat. The warmth and richness of Vianne’s
chocolates provide a striking contradiction to the joyless, cold and lonely town of Lansquenetsous-Tannes. In one scene, Vianne and a villager, Josephine, cook a lavish dinner for a party.
The camera jumps between shots of the two women and the food they are preparing. Vianne and
Josephine are seen, their skin dewy, surrounded by the steam coming off the pots, smiling as
they sample the incredible chocolates, meats and sauces they have created. The audience is
allowed to look down into the pots as the women stir rich chocolate, steam beautiful seafood, and
decorate decadent cakes. During the party, the audience is tortured by close-up shots of the
villagers putting the food in their mouths, chewing slowly, licking their lips (incidentally, an
interesting foreshadowing of the Mayor licking chocolate from his lips in the window of the
Chocolaterie towards the end of the film). Often, when food is in the frame, the camera follows
people’s eyes to it. In one scene, for example, the Comte de Reynaud is desperately trying to
fast during Lent, but we move with his gaze as it settles upon a buttery croissant and jam that sits
on his desk. As in the case of scenes which involve the wind, scenes which focus on food are
nearly always paired with a specific type of music. It is usually sensual, slow, and melodious,
with a dreamy quality that enhances the beauty of the food and reveals the joy it contains.
Another key film technique used throughout Chocolat is color. The town of Lansquenetsous-Tannes is awash in muted, drab tones of brown and gray and black. As we look out upon
the congregation during worship in the opening scene, we notice immediately that not one person
wears any real color. In fact, if you saw a freeze-frame of this scene you would probably think
the congregants were attending a funeral. Vianne and Anouk, therefore, stand out like a sore
thumb as they “blow” into the village wearing bright red traveling cloaks. Red, we will come to
find out, is Vianne’s signature color. She often wears red tops or red shoes (at one point a
frustrated Anouk asks her why she cannot wear black shoes like the other mothers). As it is used
throughout the movie, this color appears to indicate “spirit”, “life” and, perhaps “change”.
Josephine, who like the other villagers has always appeared in grey and black, wears a red shirt
for the first time the day after she leaves her abusive husband, Serge. A red ribbon is used to tie
up the box of cacao nips (“to awaken the passion”) purchased by Yvette Marceau so she can
pretend they are a gift from her husband. Red features prominently in the “game” Vianne asks
her customers to play, where they spin a painted plate and tell her what they see in the colors as
they blur together. Certainly, for Vianne, red, and the red cloaks in particular, represent tradition
as she and her mother also wore them as they travelled from town to town. But more than that,
red represents an opposing force to the village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes. Where Vianne in red
is inclusive, friendly, and hospitable, the village in blacks and greys is exclusive, cold, and
suspicious of strangers and foreigners.
Audience/cultural context elements: At the beginning of Chocolat, the audience has been
allowed to ride with the wind into the village as the camera zooms around and we are thus led to
believe, perhaps unintentionally (or perhaps, very intentionally), that we will likely identify with
Vianne. In other words, we are expected from the beginning to side with her. While Vianne
appears warm, friendly, welcoming, and non-judgmental, the Comte comes across as cold,
suspicious of “outsiders,” rigid, and unfriendly. He does not, under any circumstances, want
anyone disrupting “his” town, which he has worked so hard to make “peaceful.” Thus, it is
difficult to like the Comte from the beginning, even if you fundamentally agree with what he is
trying to do (which, hopefully, the majority of people would not).
Many critics of this film suggest that it paints the Church, once again, as the “bad guy”. I
disagree with this assertion. Though the book upon which the film is based presents Vianne’s
antagonist as the Priest in the village, the movie shifts this role to the Mayor. In the film, the
Priest is actually very likable and you sense that he is not particularly fond of the Mayor either.
Thus, it is not the Church that is at odds with Vianne, but the Mayor, who tries to use the Church
(improperly) against her. In the final scene, the audience sees the townspeople gathered together
for Sunday Mass with a renewed spirit and sense of community. What the story is attempting to
tell us is that true Christian community is possible, but only where hospitality, welcoming of
strangers, and kindness are found.
Theology is found: In addition to the story and visual feast created by plot, characters and the
film techniques of color, images, editing and music discussed, the underlying “message” of the
film which is brought to the surface and enhanced by each of these elements most certainly
causes us to ask questions about how we express our Christian faith. In our desire to live the
Christian life do we, in the words of Pere Henri, measure our own goodness by what we don’t
do, what we deny ourselves, what we resist, and who we exclude or by what we embrace, what
we create, and who we include?
Theological themes for conversation: This film is a wonderful conversation starter,
particularly because issues around hospitality and community are so relevant to society these
days. Below are some recommended questions for generating conversation:
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What impression do you have of the town of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes following the first
scene? Describe the people in the town? Is this a place of tranquility?
Why do people in Lansquenet-sous-Tannes “look the other way” when they see
something they shouldn’t? What kind of community does this create? Have you ever
known or been a part of a community like this?
We first meet Vianne and her daughter, Anouk, in the home of Armande Voizin, as she
asks to rent the building Armanda owns. What is your impression of Vianne? Of
Anouk? What do we know about them at this point? Describe Armande’s reaction to
them.
Who is “in charge” in the town? Why? Why does the priest not have a more important
role in the community?
What is your impression of the Mayor during his conversation with Caroline in his office
in one of the opening scenes? Does this impression change following his first
conversation with Vianne? What is different about him in these two scenes?
Why does the Mayor feel threatened by Vianne? What is going on in his own life that
might be affecting his treatment of her?
How do the “townspeople” react to Vianne and the chocolaterie initially? Think about the
first few who wander into her shop…And the ones who walk by without stopping.
Why does Vianne go to see Josephine?
What happens with the river people land in Lansquenet-sous-Tannes? Vianne makes a
point of buying a necklace from Roux right in front of the Mayor- why does she do this?
Is it just about showing him she is not afraid of him or is there more to it?
What is the significance of the posters the Mayor has plastered all over the town that say
“Boycott Immorality.” What do the townspeople really know about their visitors? Why
is it so important to make them feel unwelcome?
What is significant about color in this film? What is significant about the wind?
What roles do chocolate and food play in the story? Why are they so significant? Think,
in particular, about Vianne and Josephine cooking for the party, the party itself, and the
scene where several townspeople have gathered to prepare food for the chocolate festival.
Describe the final scenes of the film (in worship on Easter Sunday, at the chocolate
festival). What is different? What do you notice about the sermon, the people, the town?
Suggested types of conversation: This film can be used for a variety of conversations. It might
be interesting, for example, to do a series of discussions based on this film around hospitality,
community, inclusivity versus exclusivity, and how we treat the “strangers” among us. This
could be tied into a Bible study where a different text is examined as part of the discussion each
week (e.g. 1 Timothy 5:10, Titus 1:8, Hebrews 13:2, Acts 16:15 & 34, Acts 21:8, Acts 28:2 & 7).
You could also have a conversation about the sacramental quality of chocolate in this
movie- why chocolate? What is significant about its role in the redemption of this town?
Perhaps you could set up a mini chocolate festival or a chocolate fondue night and do a sort of
dinner and dessert series.
It also might be interesting to assign individuals in a group, different roles before they
view Chocolat and ask them to watch the film and consider the story from that character’s
perspective.
Recommended ways to view and engage the film: Though it would certainly be nice for a
group studying Chocolat and its themes to see the entire film, it is not critical for discussion. The
following scenes in particular could be viewed and discussed in isolation, with proper set up.
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Opening scene (Chapter 1)- impressions of the town and townspeople, the wind, the color
red- what can you tell about this little town already?
Chapter 2 – Chapter 3- impressions of Vianne and the Mayor; how does the Mayor act
different around Caroline and Vianne- what changes? How does Armande treat Vianne
and Anouk? Why?
Chapter 7 (One’s Enemy) (from beginning of chapter through 23:30)- what strikes you
about the scene in the beauty shop? The scene in the garden with the priest?
Chapter 7 (One’s Enemy) from 23:30-25:28- the power of chocolate and, more
importantly, of community and fellowship. What changes in Armande from the time she
walks in to the end of the scene? What is Vianne’s role here?
Chapter 14- Chapter 15- the sacramental quality of food and chocolate in this film. How
does it bring this community together?
Chapter 19- evidence of a new community; what has changed among those who fought
Vianne in the beginning? What does Vianne realize?
Chapter 21- (Easter Sunday) What is significant about the sermon for the people of the
town? It summarizes beautifully the message of the entire story- what have the
townspeople learned? How have things changed for them and for Vianne and for the
Mayor?