In the winter of 1959, a single mother and her young daughter arrive in a rural French town, where they open an unusual chocolate shop that disrupts the moral fiber of the strictly Catholic townsfolk and mayor.
Costume
Binoche's flowing reds against gray Lenten town—pure visual defiance.
Score
Rachel Portman's Oscar-nominated whimsy that practically smells like cocoa.
Acting
Judi Dench devouring every scene like it's her last truffle.
Director
Lasse Hallström
Juliette Binoche
Vianne Rocher
Judi Dench
Armande Voizin
Alfred Molina
Count Paul de Reynaud
Lena Olin
Josephine Muscat
Johnny Depp
Roux
Hugh O'Conor
Father Henri
Carrie-Anne Moss
Caroline Clairmont
John Wood
Guillaume Blerot
Peter Stormare
Serge Muscat
Leslie Caron
Mrs. Audel
Victoire Thivisol
Anouk Rocher
Aurelien Parent Koenig
Luc Clairmont
Ron Cook
Alphonse Marceau
Élisabeth Commelin
Yvette Marceau
Antonio Gil
Jean-Marc Drou
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Johnny Depp learned to play guitar for his river rat role; his fingerwork in the fireside scenes is actually him.
The film was shot in France but the fictional village was built from scratch in England—those 'French' exteriors are peak British craftsmanship pretending to be continental.
US
