Common Sense Media Review
Fabulous French fairy tale and romance for teens and up.
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Why Age 14+?
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Chocolat
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
Based on 12 kid reviews
Kids say this film offers a calm and mild viewing experience for teens and adults, highlighting themes of perseverance and personal growth through strong character arcs and relationships. Despite some brief scenes of nudity and violence, most reviewers found it to be a beautiful and heartwarming story that pleasantly surprised them, making it suitable for older children and family audiences.
- calm experience
- character development
- strong messages
- beautiful story
- suitable for teens
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
CHOCOLAT takes place in rural France, in an isolated village overseen by the Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina), who makes sure everyone keeps to the straight and (very) narrow. Enter mysterious, red-cloaked Vianne (Juliette Binoche) and her daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol), who boldly open up a chocolate shop during Lent. Aghast, the Comte tries to keep customers away. But Vianne always seems to know just what people need, giving everyone the kind of chocolate they can't resist and improving the lives of her grumpy landlord Armande (Judi Dench), and the troubled Josephine (Lena Olin). When a group of itinerants dock their houseboats in town, Vianne befriends Roux (Johnny Depp), which proves too much for the Compte and his sidekick, Josephine's husband Serge. Both the Compte and Vianne have to confront near disaster and their own fears, and the village's young priest must find a way to become a true spiritual leader for the community.
Is It Any Good?
This whimsical little fairy tale is as delicious as its chocolates, with a terrific score and lots of great issues for family discussion.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the messages of Chocolat. Who is happy in this movie and who is not? What do you think the movie's message is about happiness? What else are the filmmakers trying to express?
What do you think about the priest's conclusion that we are judged by what we do and those we embrace rather than by what we stay away from and those we exclude?
Families might also want to talk about what some of the names mean in English. For example, reynaud means fox and roux is the base that holds a soufflé together.
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 15, 2000
- On DVD or streaming : August 7, 2001
- Cast : Alfred Molina , Johnny Depp , Juliette Binoche
- Director : Lasse Hallstrom
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Miramax
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 121 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : a scene of sensuality and some violence
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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