This is a magical movie; literally. They are subtle. Vianne, (Juliette), "blows in with the North wind" to a provincial French village that needs her gifts badly. She opens a chocolate shop. She has a gift to know what people need and give it to them.
There is pushback of course. Mostly led by the Mayor, Comte de Raynaud, (Alfred Molina). But person, by person, Vianne wins them over.
I really resonate with the movie. I love to cook and love to cook for others such as the sick at my church. I try to think what might help them, I pray for them. When they are mortally ill I try to craft food that will bring them a bit of happiness. But I am not magic, I don't even know if my prayers are answered. Watching the movie masterfully touch hearts made me smile.
I really loved the performance of Armande, (Judi Dench). She does a masterful job of playing the older woman, abandoned by her daughter, unable to see and spend time with her grandson.
The turning point, the drama, increases with the arrival of the "river rats", hobos on boats, including Roux, (Johnny Depp). They fit in even less than Vianne and the town is turned against them.
A low point in the movie is when the mayor convinces the pastor to preach against chocolates. Her daughter, Anouk, gets worked over by the other children concerning her mother, the "helper of Satan".
The party for Armande was touching and leads to a series of climaxes. I cannot divulge the endings, but there is a place for this movie on my bookshelf and I intend to watch it again
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