Vianne Rocher: Juliette Binoche	Anouk Rocher: Victoire Thivisol
Roux: Johnny Depp	Mayor de Reynaud: Alfred Molina
Josephine Muscat: Lena Olin	Serge Muscat: Peter Stormare
Amande: Judi Dench	Caroline Clairmont: Carrie-Anne Moss
Luc Clairmont: Aurelien Parent-Koening	Director: Lasse Hallstrom

Story Line: This tale of a small town in France alongside a river, is introduced with "Once upon a time" to convey that the story is to be viewed as more of a fable than an actual event. Set in 1959, memories of WWII are quite vivid. The guiding principle of the town is that the residents believe in tranquillity.

Mayor de Reynaud (Alfred Molina) is a control freak who insists that all townspeople attend mass on Sunday. He listens to sermons, which he personally writes for the young priest in residence for less than two months. The Mayor's wife has left him, but he persists in saying that she is on holiday. This fools almost no one in the village. The north wind blows and brings with it two new residents, of whom the locals are suspicious. Change is not welcome here. Vianne (Juliette Binoche) and her pre teen daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol) arrive in town and lease a vacant store and flat from Amande (Judi Dench), so they can open a very special chocolate shop.

The Mayor stops by to welcome Vianne to town and invites her to Sunday mass, which she politely refuses. She is not only a person who does not go to church, but an avowed atheist. The Mayor sees Vianne as a threat to the community in general, and to him personally. He decides to create a problem bigger than anyone currently has, which he then is given credit for solving, like any good politician (sarcasm intended).

Vianne has a knack for knowing what type of chocolate a person needs to make their life more fulfilling. For one couple, it serves as a sexual stimulant for a husband who ignores his wife. Josephine (Lena Olin), after downing a few of the tasty morsels, finds the courage to leave her husband Serge (Peter Stormare), an abusive local tavern owner.

As people try the chocolate it changes the dynamics of the town. In addition to personality changes, Vianne challenges the traits of abstinence and reflection during Lent. She even plans a Fertility celebration on Easter Sunday, demonstrating her intolerance of religion.

Caroline (Carrie-Anne Moss) is the Mayor's secretary and the daughter of Amande, with a pre teen son named Luc (Aurelien Parent-Koening). Caroline is estranged from her mother and does not let Luc visit her, which requires a substantial effort in such as small town. She exerts so much control over Luc that Amande thinks he's treated like a trained poodle. Luc is not even allowed to ride a bike like other children.

Amande becomes a reluctant customer of the chocolate shop when she gets hooked on Vianne's richly thick hot chocolate made with unrefined cocoa with chili peppers added. Luc has artistic talents and Vianne offers him money to draw a portrait for her, which brings him to the shop while his mother is at work or at the beauty salon. Her design, of course, is to have Luc spend time with his grandmother.

Gypsies, on their houseboats, dock at the public landing, and we are introduced to Roux (Johnny Depp). He is a purveyor of trinkets and obviously has an eye for Vianne. To the Mayor, this is another threat and he encourages the residents not to hire the gypsies for any odd jobs. He also wants them not to provide any public accommodations, such as selling a soft drink to a young child. Vianne, of course, welcomes Roux and when she hires him to fix a window broken by vandals, the Mayor becomes outraged and takes action to regain the control he has lost.

Tell Me More About It: Chocolat is a film so loaded with symbolism that the beauty and grace of Juliette Binoche is at times buried in hatred and spousal abuse. It's more than ironic that those who profess to believe so strongly in Christianity can have spite and evil in their hearts, while the one who does not believe in God has a loving spirit. Vianne also has true family values, is willing to accept people different from herself, and has the ability to forgive the sins of others. As we saw in Quills, repression will at some point rise to the surface in the house of the person who inflicts it.

The French villagers here treat the gypsies similarly to Blacks in America before the Civil Rights Act was passed in the U.S. in 1964. An opportunity to work in large corporations was often denied, as were public accommodations for things like staying at a hotel, or drinking from a water fountain. States rights in those days decreed that the right to use ones property as one saw fit was more important than another citizen's right to use the bathroom where you buy gas for your car, or to go in the front door to buy something to drink. If Christians follow their beliefs they will do the right thing. However, Vianne seems to make the point that even if you don't believe in God, you can still act as if you do and the world will be the better for it.

Juliette Binoche: Alice and Martin	Victoire Thivisol: Ponette
Johnny Depp: Before Night Falls	Alfred Molina: Magnolia
Lena Olin: The Ninth Gate	Peter Stormare: Dancer in the Dark
Judi Dench: Tea with Mussolini	Carrie-Anne Moss: Red Planet
Aurelien Parent-Koening: Debut	Lasse Hallstrom: The Cider House Rules