Chocolat

Reviewed by: Suad Bejtovic, Bosnian Movie Critic

Directed by: Lasse Hallstrom

Starring: Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Carrie-Anne Moss, Johnny Depp

Znacenje je isto, ali je ovo francuska rijec, bez "e" na kraju, koristena namjerno, iz nekoliko razloga. Najprije, film je smjesten u malo selo na brdima Francuske, negdje oko 1960. Dalje, reditelj Lasse Hallstrom (The Cider House Rules) skupio je medjunarodnu grupu glumaca i natjerao mnoge od njih da scenarij na engleskom izgovaraju manje ili vise uspjesnim francuskim akcentom. Centar price je Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche - Oscar za Engleskog pacijenta), lutalica dobro upoznata sa naukom i umjetnoscu pravljenja cokolade. Ona unajmljuje poslovni prostor od Amande (Judi Dench - Oscar za Shakespeare in Love) i pretvara ga u prodavnicu cokolade. Medjutim, vrijeme je posta, i bogobojazni seljaci su uglavnom uzasnuti odvaznom strankinjom. Vianne polazi u rat protiv stoickog gradonacelnika, a njeni saveznici postaju maltretirana supruga (Lena Olin) i irski "rijecni pacov" (Johnny Depp). Ona je ocigledno jaka, nezavisna zena, ali s vremena na vrijeme, borba umova cini se izgubljenom.

Hallstrom se kristalizira kao tip reditelja koji drzi pod kontrolom svoj projekat, ali daje glumcima mnogo slobode unutar njegove vizije. The Cider House Rules je bio savrsen primjer ansablskog komada, a Chocolat je vrlo slican tome. Brojni likovi su ne samo zivopisni, vec neki postaju dijelom price, a njihova medjusobna komunikacija je odlicna. Binoche je snazno prisustvo u svakom kadru, samouvjerena i tvrdoglava, ali Dench krade film svojom prkosnom ulogom. Matrix-cura Carrie-Anne Moss ostavlja kozni kombinezon i odijeva konzervativnu odjecu lokalne cistunice, Amandine kcerke koja sama odgaja svog talentovanog sina. A Lena Olin, ciji lik se cini ozbiljno psiholoski povrijedjenim, pravi lagan prelaz u jaku zenu sposobnu da razbije okove ponizavajuceg braka.

Ritam i pripovijedanje u Chocolat su savrseni. Film preskace dosadne detalje, udaljava se od privatnih trenutaka i nikada se ne cini sporim ili lijenim. Hallstromova kamera nikad ne upada u zivot likova, i cak iako scenarij ostavlja dosta toga nedorecenog, veliki dijelovi dijaloga su nijemi. Scenarij je posut bezbrojnim dobrodusnim salama, a glumci izvlace mnogo iz mizanscena koji sadrzi brojne senzualne nagovjestaje i flertovanja. Pogled tu i osmijeh tamo, i cijeli film zraci dobrim raspolozenjem i razdraganim uzivanjem. U isto vrijeme, film istrazuje neke ozbiljne teme, bez dubljeg zalazenja u filozofije iza tih pitanja, poput sukoba stroge religije i bezbriznog hedonizma, kao i oslobadjanjem zena. Snaga Juliette Binoche izlazi iz magije cokolade, koju ona upravo opisuje kao magiju u prici za laku noc koju prica svojoj kceri. Tajanstveni zacini i tajni recepti podvlace zabranjeno zadovoljstvo prepustanja zivotu i najosnovnijim strastima. I cak iako su mnogi likovi karikature i stereotipi, izvrsni glumci cine njihove probleme vrlo stvarnim, cineci u isto vrijeme cijeli film vrijedan gledanja.

It means the same, but it’s a French word, without the final "e", used on purpose, for several reasons. First and foremost, the movie is set in a small village in the hills of France, around 1960. Further, director Lasse Hallstrom (The Cider House Rules) gathered an international cast, and made most of them deliver English script with more or less successful French accent. The center of the story is Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche - Oscar for English Patient), a drifter well versed in the arts and sciences of making chocolate. She rents a store from an aging Amande (Judi Dench - Oscar for Shakespeare in Love), and turns it into a chocolaterie. However, it is the time of lent, and god-fearing villagers are mostly disgusted with the brazen stranger. Vianne goes to war against the stoic mayor, and her allies become an abused wife (Lena Olin) and an Irish river rat (Johnny Depp). She’s obviously a strong, independent woman, but at times, the battle of the minds seems unwinnable.

Hallstrom is crystallizing as the type of director who is in full control of his project, but gives actors a lot of freedom within his vision. The Cider House Rules was the perfect example of an ensemble piece, and Chocolat is very similar to that. Numerous characters are not merely colorful, they become a part of the story, and their mutual interaction is striking. Binoche is a powerful presence in each shot, confident and stubborn, but Dench steals the show with her spiteful demeanor. Matrix babe Carrie-Anne Moss drops her leather body suit for a conservative outfit of a local prude, Amande’s daughter raising her talented son on her own. And Lena Olin, whose character seems seriously psychologically scarred, makes the smooth transition to a strong woman able to break the shackles of degrading marriage.

The pace and the storytelling of Chocolat are perfect. It skips the boring details, distances itself from the private moments and never seems slow or lazy. Hallstrom’s camera never intrudes in the lives of his characters, and even though the script leaves a lot untold, great parts of the dialogues are silent. The script is highlighted with numerous light-hearted jokes, and the actors make the most of the mise-an-scene that includes a lot of sensual innuendoes and flirtations. A glance here and a smile there, and the whole movie radiates good mood and joyous pleasure. At the same time, it explores a few serious themes, without going too deep in the philosophies behind those issues, notably the clash between strict religion and careless hedonism, as well as liberation of women. Binoche’s power stems from the magic of chocolate, which she describes exactly like magic in the bedtime story for her daughter. Mysterious spices and secret recipes emphasize the forbidden pleasure of letting oneself go and giving in to innermost passions. And even though most of the characters are caricatures and stereotypes, the excellent cast makes their struggles very real, making the whole experience of the movie worthwhile.

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