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Chocolat
Miramax
Films
PG-13
Jr. High/Middle
school might find Chocolat a
bit slow, or you might think it too sensual for them, but mature high
schoolers and young adults will--if they're not careful--love it.
The setting for Chocolat
is 1959, in a small French village dominated politically, socially and
theologically by a pompous mayor, the Comte de Reynaud. This is a town
that holds fast to its traditions--especially the practice of denying
oneself pleasure during the season of Lent. This is also a town that
resists both change and newcomers.
Enter Vianne, a beautiful single mother (Juliette Binoche)
and her young daughter. They open a chocolate shop featuring exotic
flavors that arouse in the eater lust, passion and sensuality. Even worse
than opening the chocolate shop during Lent, Vianne declines the mayor's
invitation to attend church.
The Comte edits--even writes--the local priest's sermons,
which call for a public boycott of the shop. But the town's rejection
isn't just toward the shop, it extends toward town outcasts, newcomers
such as Vianne and her daughter, and the visiting river folks.
It is not the church which turns this rampant oppression
and hatred around, but Vianne and the hapless villagers she befriends--an
abused woman, a couple that rediscovers passion because of Vianne's
chocolate, three elderly woman and a male admirer of one of them, but
mostly a cranky but honest villager (played by Dame Judi Dench) and her
estranged grandson. Gospel and love, unfortunately, isn't expressed by and
in the church, but from the outcasts. Until Easter Sunday, of course, when
the priest, in honesty and love, gets the last word.
By the way, don't see this movie sans chocolate. Or
without plans for an after-movie dessert.
Questions for discussion
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What was your reaction to the
portrayal of organized religion (church) in this movie? Is it anything
you've experienced? Do you know of people who might have this rigid
view of the church? If it's different than your experience, what would
or could you tell them?
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Who was your favorite character and
why?
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What was your favorite scene in the
movie?
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What does Vianne represent to the
townspeople?
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Do all characters experience
reconciliation (forgiveness, change) at the end of the movie? (Note:
Not the abuser, who we don't see after he's banished from the town)
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What, aside from appreciating good
chocolate, can we learn from Chocolat?
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