I liked that movie. Best one I’ve seen so far in the young year. What did you think?
I have to agree…the best movie I’ve seen in probably 10 years.
The premise was a little formulaic, but the writing, cinematography, character development and plot progression were all wonderful.
It’s my new favorite movie in that genre. For the year though, I’m going to have to at least tie it with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon…
Guess you haven’t been to the movies in, lets say, about 10 years? 
It was a pretty film, but to say it was a little formulaic is like saying Tom Cruise is a little overpaid…
I agree with Pucette on CT,HD
[HIJACK]
Did Jen’s fight scene in the restaurant remind you a little of Jackie Chan’s restaurant fight scene in ‘Drunken Master II’? [/HIJACK]
You do know that the director is Swedish? And so is Lena Olin?
Oh, it’s good to be Swedish sometimes…
Then again, what the hell do I know. I haven’t seen Chocolate yet, but I might go this weekend.
A sweet confection without real substance. Nothing surprising or startling, but it fires the expected endorphins and leaves a pleasant aftertaste.
I thought Judy Densch was superb, Lena Olin was excellent, and everyone else was competent but unremarkable.
I didn’t regret spending the money or teh time, but I don’t rank it among the year’s best movies.
Dave X, re your hijack: YES 
it looked like the same set. I saw both movies 1 week apart, and boy was it a good year for kung fu movies!
There was an interview with the author of the novel on which this is based over the weekend, one Jeanne Harris a regular school teacher from ‘up North’.
She recalled her surprise to be the recipient of an unexpected phone call from Juliette Binoche who asked if she could fly over and spend a weekend with her and her family to talk about the book.
They live in an average 3 bedroomed house on an estate and Binoche had to sleep in the small third bedroom. Husband said it was on the Sunday morning when he went downstairs for breakfast to find a sleepy Binoche sitting at the table tucking into a fry up, that he felt their lives were about to change forever.
I think that might have been enough to put me off my cornflakes, also.
If you want to see a good Hallstrom film watch My Life as a Dog or What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.
Chocolat is one of these films about a little town full of eccentric people that all have a broom up thier butts and a stranger comes to town and removes said broom. Except in this film the wonderful stranger is a jerk in her own right. First off Juliet Binoche is supposed to be half french and half Indian. (Native Mexican) Yeah she really looks Indian. Her glorified mother dumps her husband because the ‘clever north wind blows’ and steal their child who grows up to be Binoche. So when the clever north wind blows Binoche and her kid pack up and move even though the kid wants to live a normal life. Somehow meeting another drifter and boinking him get her to settle down.
Gilbert Grape is the same story (small town of freaks visited by another freak who changes their lives) done much much better. My GOD even Leo is good in that film.
Now many people talk about the cinematography.
If she is being blown into town by the clever north wind why is she and her daughter walking AGAINST the wind when they come into town? (This stupid shot is repeated later)
Why on earth do you hire Leslie Caron and not give her a line?
Using chocolat for gravy is a sure way to kill a diabetic.
If Alfred Molina’s mustach was a little longer he could have twirled it while he was trying to destroy the evil chocolatier.
I liked Johnny Depp but there was ZERO chemistry between he and Binoche. This was Binoche’s fault BTW. I would have liked to see a romance between Depp and Dench. They could pull it off.
This film has been crammed down our collective throats with more advertising than a New Jersey Senate campain and it’s a very lightweight film. It does not deserve a single Oscar nomination.
I’m through venting now. If you liked the movie fine that’s your opinion but watch Gilbert Grape and My Life as a Dog to see much better movies.