Raiders of the Lost Ark

Tags

1980's, Action, Adventure, Alfred Molina, Denholm Elliott, Harrison Ford, John Rhys-Davies, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ronald Lacey, Steven Spielberg

Action/ adventure was given a new lease of life in Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark ; a rollicking, entertaining tribute to old adventure serials with a classic turn by Harrison Ford and all the right ingredients for an energetic blockbuster. Raiders of the Lost Ark is truly one of those iconic films that never gets boring no matter how many times you’ve seen it. Trust me, this movie is simply irresistible.

The year is 1936 and rugged Indiana Jones(Harrison Ford), often refereed to as Dr. Jones or Indy, is an archaeologist/adventurer with a dry sense of humour, skill with a whip, fear of snakes and ability to think quickly on his feet. He works as a college professor when he’s not facing immense danger around the globe. We first meet him in the jungles of South America where he procures an artefact, faces down danger and meets his slimy rival René Belloq( Paul Freeman), who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Back at the university he teaches at, his friend Marcus Brody(Denholm Elliott) a museum creator approaches Jones with two American agents. As Indy has knowledge of ancient relics and cultures the U.S government wants his help in dealing with the growing power of the Nazis. It’s come to their attention that the Nazis are fixed on discovering the burial place of The Ark of Covenant; an ancient and innumerable chest that according to the Bible held the two stone tablets bearing The Ten Commandments. Also housed in it is immeasurable power that the Nazis wish to harness to further advance their cause. Jones worked with Abner Ravenwood, his old mentor and had a relationship with his daughter Marion(Karen Allen). Travelling to Nepal, he meets the tough talking Marion once more and learns her father is dead. She is now in possession of a headpiece that when used properly shows the whereabouts of the Ark. She isn’t too pleased to see Indy as he romanced her and then disappeared, which leaves him with a hell of a punch across the face on their reconnection. The fact that Marion has the key to discovering the Ark puts her in the firing line for trouble. This in turns leads the Nazis to her door, headed by the very creepy and sadistic Gestapo agent Arnold Toht(Ronald Lacey). Escaping and discovering the Nazi’s, along with Belloq are digging in Cairo, Indiana and Marion head there intent on stopping them. With aid from loyal digger Sallah( John Rhys-Davies), it’s up to Indy and Marion to stop the Ark falling into Nazi hands and being wielded as a devastating weapon on the world. 

Steven Spielberg directs this action adventure classic with panache, wit and a rip-roaring sense of entertainment and it ranks as one of his best films. You can clearly see the love and feeling of breathless action he infused Raiders with to make it so rightfully iconic. His infectious enthusiasm to recreate 30’s adventure serials transfers to the audience who are swept along with Indiana Jones in his quest to retrieve the eponymous artefact from the clutches of evil. Raiders of the Lost Ark bristles with excitement right from the celebrated opening and continues on with breathless action that also houses great characters and many instances that have become synonymous with pop culture. You’ve got that opening with Indy retrieving a golden idol from a cave that’s laced with booby traps( including one menacing boulder), a journey into the resting place of the Ark which is littered with snakes, Indy hilariously shooting a show off swordsman in a nonchalant manner, a scintillating truck chase sequence that puts the A in action and the unveiling of the Ark itself. It’s hard to just talk about one moment but I’ll do my best. The cinematography has a warm glow of yesteryear and just adds further to this exciting and escapist adventure that never leaves you. The visual effects still hold up and make the finale a sight to behold in both wonderment and shock. And one of the finest and most fondly remembered parts of this movie has to be the score from the maestro that is John Williams. I’ve long been a fan of his work and his score here is one of the reasons why. I mean you only need to hear a few notes of the now famous theme to feel chills on your neck and know you’re listening to greatness that embodies adventure, danger and just that giddy feeling of something magic at work.

Essaying the role of Indiana Jones is the incomparable Harrison Ford. He’s got the humour down, the intrepid feeling of adventure, plus charm and smarts to burn. Ford is compelling and it’s pretty damn impossible to imagine anyone else playing the part because he makes it his own with star quality, wit and a certain level of old school, heroic cool. It’s hard not to warm to Indiana Jones with Harrison Ford in such fine form and creating one of the most recognisable heroes of the silver screen. Aiding him is the beautiful but strong presence of Karen Allen. She portrays Marion as feisty and not afraid to rough and tumble; thankfully she has more to do that just a be a love interest. Not that her chemistry with Ford isn’t impressive( it’s extremely good), but it’s great to see that she serves a purpose here and can take charge when needed. A slimy turn from Paul Freeman makes Belloq a cultured yet rotten to the core adversary for Indy, while is creepiness personified as the Nazi agent with the most unnerving demeanour. Humour and a certain lovable nature comes courtesy of John Rhys-Davies, making the most out of his supporting role as loyal friend. The refined Denholm Elliott also stands out in a small role with his well spoken air and sense of a gentleman. Watch out for a young Alfred Molina in the opening scene as a treacherous tour guide who meets a grisly end after showing his true, deceitful colours. 

With compelling action, imagination, fine acting and a masterful director at the helm, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most rip-roaring pieces of adventure entertainment you’re likely to see and trust me, you’ll never tire of it.

An Education

Tags

2000's, Alfred Molina, An Education, Cara Seymour, Carey Mulligan, Coming-of-Age, Dominic Cooper, Drama, Emma Thompson, Lone Scherfig, Olivia Williams, Peter Sarsgaard, Rosamund Pike

Film Title

An Education

Director

Lone Scherfig

Starring

• Carey Mulligan as Jenny Mellor
• Peter Sarsgaard as David Goldman
• Dominic Cooper as Danny
• Rosamund Pike as Helen
• Alfred Molina as Jack Mellor
• Cara Seymour as Marjorie Mellor
• Olivia Williams as Miss Stubbs
• Emma Thompson as Miss Walters

A delightfully rendered coming-of-age story based on a memoir by Lynn Barber, that captures its setting excellently and has both humour and seriousness in it, An Education encompasses something very charming and bittersweet.

It is 1961; Jenny Mellor is a bright, pretty and sheltered 16-year-old girl living in Twickenham, London. Her parents, mainly her pushy father Jack, are pressuring her to study hard so she can go to Oxford. Yet Jenny is restless with this and wants to experience something fun and exciting in a world that she sees as very boring. Into her life in a shiny car comes the much older David Goldman. He is a charming and cultured man who despite being almost twice her age, gives Jenny a lift home when she is caught in rain. Jenny is completely bowled over by the handsome stranger and becomes dreamy about him. As he begins to show an interest in her, Jenny’s plans for Oxford are put on hold and slide away as she immerses herself in the glamorous world that David offers, where she meets his friends partner in crime Danny and his oblivious girlfriend Helen. Yet David, while able to please everyone around him including Jenny’s parents, is clearly up to something that puzzles Jenny. It seems the journey for her is going to leave her with two choices. Is the cosmopolitan lifestyle that Jenny has become immersed in, thanks to David, really worth sacrificing a place at Oxford for? And just what will come from the relationship with David, who is clearly not all he seems?

Danish director Lone Scherfig’s largely unfussy but very personal direction explores the social mores of the time, when you can just about feel that big changes in the world are literally just around the corner. She places us in the story and we witness like Jenny, the chance of escape into something that looks so thrilling, but could very well be the opposite. The script by Nick Hornby combines humour with the burgeoning drama, in an effortless an understated manner. And while most of the exercise is very charming and apparently light, underneath it and emerging is the seriousness that rightfully connects with us as the glamorous world that we see may not be all it is cracked up to be for Jenny. Because of this, a bittersweet harmony between the fun and the moving is crafted with adroit skill and An Education soars in its evocation of this young girl’s journey that brings her both happiness and sorrow. An Education wisely sidesteps becoming overly nostalgic and mawkish, thanks to the greatness of everyone involved with the project. It is a credit to the film that the central part of Jenny falling in love with David and being taken in by him is not viewed as creepy or seedy. Sure the character of David is a little sleazy, but the relationship shared for the most part stays on the right side of curious and a little poignant, without the need to become tawdry. The representation and recreation of the early 60’s before it was swinging is beautiful in construction and really shows a glamour that is to Jenny what she has been searching for. Some of the action sags in the middle part, but is quickly redeemed by the moving examination of Jenny’s journey that captures your attention with its naturalness and believability.

The glowing and beating heart at the core of An Education is the stunning work from Carey Mulligan. She boasts something akin to Audrey Hepburn with the playfulness and innocence she projects in the part which is simply magnificent. But Mulligan also displays that Jenny is smart(sometimes a little too smart for her own good) and clearly no fool, she just craves a sense of something extraordinary which I’m sure even now is something that a lot of teenagers can relate to. Jenny just wants some fun and adventure in her life so it isn’t really surprising that she is so taken in by David and the glamorous life he leads her into. Carey Mulligan sells everything about the character so subtly and beautifully that even when the character of Jenny is making decisions that in the long run may be bad, we can see why she is doing it and the reasoning. This was a star making performance from Carey Mulligan, who since this film has become one of my favourite and most reliable actresses. Surrounding Mulligan is an outstandingly assembled cast of greats who contribute something to each of their respective parts. Peter Sarsgaard strikes the right balance of smooth talking sophistication and a lingering sense of darkness, though like Jenny the effectiveness of the performance lies in how he takes people over, not least the audience. Dominic Cooper plays David’s right hand man, who while still a charmer offers Jenny support and foreshadows what David may truly be like. Rosamund Pike is a hoot as the fashion plate bimbo with all the eye rolling and hysterical lines to match. Case in point after hearing that Jenny scored a B on her Latin exam, she exclaims ” Someone told me that in about 50 years, no one will speak Latin, probably. Not even Latin people.” It is amusing comic gold to watch. The always good Alfred Molina turns in a finely tuned performance as Jenny’s domineering, penny-pinching father, who is actually just looking out for his daughter’s needs. He is both an amusing and melancholy character, who wants to be there for his daughter yet due to his old-fashioned attitudes is puzzled by her at the same time. Cara Seymour ably supports Molina as his wife, who is always trying to quell disagreements in her household. Olivia Williams is on hand for a moving delivery as the inspiring schoolteacher who gives Jenny some very strong advice in helping decide her future. Emma Thompson has a ball with her small role as the disapproving headmistress, who doesn’t take too kindly to Jenny’s plans to leave school for an older man.

A charming but very observant picture of teenage curiosity and the heart versus the head, An Education provides a well mounted picture of a certain time and a beautiful performance from Carey Mulligan.

Species

Tags

1990's, Alfred Molina, Ben Kingsley, Forest Whitaker, Horror, Marg Helgenberger, Michael Madsen, Michelle Williams, Natasha Henstridge, Roger Donaldson, Science Fiction, Species, Thriller

Film Title

Species

Director

Roger Donaldson

Starring

• Natasha Henstridge as Sil
• Ben Kingsley as Xavier Fitch
• Michael Madsen as Press Lennox
• Alfred Molina as Dr. Stephen Arden
• Forest Whitaker as Dan Smithson
• Marg Helgenberger as Dr. Laura Baker
• Michelle Williams as Young Sil

Scientists tampering with what they really shouldn’t and the horrifying product of this are given a sexy edge in Species; a sci-fi/horror-thriller. If you are looking for logic, look elsewhere as this film is all about the entertainment factor and that is where it delivers the goods.

After sending a telescope into space many years prior to search for extraterrestrial life, a highly secret government science lab gains the knowledge and means of how to splice human and alien DNA. The project, headed up by Xavier Fitch, is put into effect and sets about using these newly gained information for a genetic engineering program. The program is a success with the production of Sil; who appears to look like a young girl, but whose genetic make up christen her as a hybrid who grows from a baby into a young girl in a matter of days. When it becomes known to Fitch that she exhibits potentially dangerous parts to her, he decides to shut down the operation. He has cyanide gas pumped into her chamber in order to kill her, but Sil has developed agility and super strength and escapes from her confines. Worried that this experiment will be exposed, Fitch assembles a team that will track her down. The team features assassin Press Lennox, British anthropologist Dr. Stephen Arden, molecular biologist Dr. Laura Baker and empath Dan Smithson. By the time the rag-tag team has been briefed and begin searching for her, she has already matured into a beautiful woman who enters Los Angeles. Quickly absorbing things from the world around her, Sil sets out on a mission to mate and reproduce. The hitch is that as she is a predator when she feels threatened she attacks, leaving a host of dead bodies in her wake as she seeks out the perfect mate. The team follow her, but find it difficult keeping up with the spawn as her growing mind and alien abilities provide no shortage of confusion. If Sil does successfully conceive and give birth, it would produce a whole new kind of species that the world would not be able to handle. The mission to stop this is now on as the team discover the motives of the creature.

Roger Donaldson takes what is basically a clichéd and slightly silly plot and has a ball with it. He creates a fun ride that is scary and sexy in that order. His glossy filming style and handling of pace is also in evidence throughout Species. I enjoyed how Donaldson opened the film with not giving us a lot of information as Sil escapes. Something about it really stuck with me as enigmatic and a little atmospheric, as I do enjoy a cold open in a film that leaves you wanting to know more.I have to praise the practical effects that made Sil look so good and especially when the beast side emerges. The CGI used is however a bit underwhelming, and they should have really stuck with the ace practical effects and artistry instead. The script of Species is one that doesn’t exactly inspire confidence and is probably the weakest are of the movie. It tries to be both entertaining and intellectual, but is lacking in the latter part. When you hear the characters discussing either the genetic make up or scientific parts of Sil, it just rings more than a little hollow as it never provides much of an insight to her or the other characters. I think it is best to enjoy Species as what it is, a sort of B-movie given the Hollywood treatment and fun that doesn’t require much in the way of straining the brain. And on the horror front, Species hits bulls eye with some pretty icky and gruesome deaths arising from Sil and her insatiable desire. Though with the other positive elements to be found in the picture, the weak script can be sort of forgiven as the film hurtles along with thrills and horror. The exceptional score from Christopher Young has an unusual but necessary vibe to it; switching quickly from eccentric sounds to quickening thrills in a matter of minutes.

Despite the shortcomings of the script, a highly capable set of actors give life and personality to their parts. In what was her debut role, former model Natasha Henstridge plays the pretty predator who is half human and half alien. While Henstridge is physically ideal for the part with a gorgeous face and shapely body(that is displayed prominently), she also demonstrates considerable acting skill as Sil uses her instincts that she acquires at an alarming rate. Her reactions to the world are interesting to watch, as she soaks up what makes humans tick and then through primal desire, takes deadly control. She doesn’t know why she is the way she is, but slowly her vicious, cunning and savage need takes hold and her seductive smile is just the start of mayhem. Ben Kingsley is pretty good as the scientist concerned about the implications of his creation and pretty selfish in his motivations too. I enjoyed the presence of Michael Madsen as the wise ass man of action, whose sarcastic attitude and skill with a gun make him pretty forceful in hunting down Sil. You can tell that Madsen is having a good time in this part. Alfred Molina was pretty solid as the snarky guy in the team, while the sensitive vibe of the reliably good Forest Whitaker strikes more emotion into his part than was probably scripted. Marg Helgenberger does very well as the only female in the group who is the most curious member to be sure. And look out for a young Michelle Williams playing Sil when she looks like a girl before her transformation. All of the actors present rise above the flaws in writing to keep you watching as the carnage unfolds.

So the CGI can be dated, the script a bit scatter shot and the whole exercise more than a little sleazy, but Species still dazzles in a tongue-in-cheek way and with a glossy and sexy surface to it, among the gory horror and thrills.

Enchanted April

Tags

1990's, Alfred Molina, Drama, Enchanted April, Jim Broadbent, Joan Plowright, Josie Lawrence, Michael Kitchen, Mike Newell, Miranda Richardson, Period Drama, Polly Walker

Film Title

Enchanted April

Director

Mike Newell

Starring

• Josie Lawrence as Lottie Wilkins
• Miranda Richardson as Rose Arbuthnot
• Joan Plowright as Mrs. Fisher
• Polly Walker as Lady Caroline Dester
• Alfred Molina as Mellersh Wilkins
• Jim Broadbent as Frederick Arbuthnot
• Michael Kitchen as George Briggs

A thoroughly captivating period drama, in which a dream vacation for four ladies has each person is changed by the experience, Enchanted April is aptly named and filled with a real feel good factor that is hard to resist.

It is 1920’s London and grey skies and constant rain fill the days. Downtrodden housewife Lottie Wilkins desires a change of scenery for a while as she is married to solicitor Mellersh, who rarely pays her any attention and London depresses her. She meets a neighbour, Rose Arbuthnot, to whom she has never spoken and sees that she also is in a not to different situation. Yet Rose is a woman who has become so used to being subservient to her husband that the idea of a holiday appears to be just a dream. Yet she is soon won over by Lottie’s insistence and good nature, and soon the women grow friendly and plan a getaway. The location is an Italian castle on the shores of the Mediterranean for the month of April. The two jump into this as a way to escape the dreary lives they lead and take the chance. In order to split the expenses, Lottie and Rose put out an advertisement for two others to join their impromptu adventure. The two people they take on are the haughty and disapproving Mrs. Fisher and beautiful but restless socialite Lady Caroline Dester, who wants to get away from her social circles. Once at the exotic castle, the four of them set apart attempting to relax and unwind, though it isn’t always that simple. The ladies are at first at odds with each other, yet over time they grow closer to each other. A change happens for each of the women over the course of April as the fresh air and surroundings weave a magic spell on all of them. Lottie discovers her own sense of worth, Rose emerges from her insular shell to become a vivacious and confident lady, Mrs Fisher’s waspish attitude is minimalised as she lightens up and Caroline gets a sense of contentment from the castle. It appears that the place has some unusual ability to transform those there and generally for the best in this luscious movie.

Mike Newell has a sensitive edge to his direction that brings the characters and settings to life admirably. The whole strangers going on holiday and changing genre has been done a million times, but Enchanted April is one of the better films of its kind thanks to the script and aforementioned direction from the great Newell. There is subtlety at work in Enchanted April that suits the slow, sunny days in which the quartet evolve as people due to the change in location and free from the pressures of life. Some people may say that not a great deal happens, when quite a lot occurs just in a mature and measured way as opposed to something majorly overt. I like this approach in a movie, especially something like this that allows for depth and nuance.  A good touch is having some of the thoughts of the women play out as monologues when they’re alone and left to contemplate the impact of change on them. The locations are gorgeous to look at and the visual changes pave the way for memorable viewing. From the dour London scenes to the brightly coloured setting of Italy, Enchanted April knows how to twin the colours with the emotions the characters and audience experience. You can take away a warm and fuzzy feeling from this film, that at least feels genuine and not mawkish or filled schmaltz. Gentle music stunningly underscores the growth of each person as the paradise quietly but noticeably changes them.

Enchanted April gains huge points of greatness from the splendid cast. It’s the ladies who are the most memorable within the film. As the lady who comes up with the idea of the holiday, Josie Lawrence has enough energy and optimism she could practically burst. Playing Lottie as a woman who is bruised but has an effervescent spirit and perceptive ability. Lawrence succeeds as it is impossible not to be won over by her. Miranda Richardson is simply sublime in her part of the saddened and put upon Rose, who discovers a new purpose and love for life once in the Italian surroundings. Richardson is one of those performers who can say so much with her face than most can with heaps of dialogue. She is a moving and luminous presence in this film and not one that is easily forgotten. Stealing all of her scenes is Joan Plowright; essaying the role of a cantankerous old lady who is really quite lonely and regretful behind the entitled surface. She gets all the best lines and her old-fashioned and snobby attitude is a funny thing to view. Yet Plowright knows exactly when to reel in the disapproving glances and acidic remarks to reveal a woman at odds with the world, as it is totally different from the one she grew up in and her morals are now outdated in changing society. As the last part of the female quartet, Polly Walker’s work is stunning and full of kittenish behaviour. At first glance,the part of Caroline could be seen as merely a glamorous one that probably wouldn’t require much in the way of acting. But Polly Walker digs beneath that and thanks to the writing, emerges with a very good performance that opens up the character who just wants to be loved by someone for not just her beauty or money.

Though while the ladies hold a lot of the interest, the men do pretty well too. Alfred Molina and Jim Broadbent excel as two of the husbands who are inattentive to the yet once they visit the paradise are changed significantly. The always reliable Alfred Molina in particular is a highlight as the initially priggish Mellersh, who appears more interested in his job than anything else. Later he is seen displaying a deft humour and surprising sensitivity once his character glimpses how important his wife is to him in the scheme of things. Michael Kitchen has a good part as the owner of the castle who is never seen far from a thick pair of glasses due to having short sight.

A lovely film of gorgeous scenery, subtle drama and nice performances, Enchanted April is just the ticket for a rainy day as you will feel refreshed by it.

Not Without My Daughter

Tags

1990's, Alfred Molina, Based on a true story, Brian Gilbert, Drama, Not Without My Daughter, Roshan Seth, Sally Field, Sasson Gabai, Sheila Rosenthal

Film Title

Not Without My Daughter

Director

Brian Gilbert

Starring

• Sally Field as Betty Mahmoody
• Alfred Molina as Sayed Bozorg ‘Moody’ Mahmoody
• Sheila Rosenthal as Mahtob Mahmoody
• Roshan Seth as Houssein
• Sasson Gabai as Hamid

Based on a true story, Not Without My Daughter tells of Betty Mahmoody, who managed to escape Iran with her daughter after being kept against her will by her husband. As a movie it is flawed in various aspects, but it is still a powerful movie despite being hampered by histrionic writing and a sometimes incomprehensible pace.

It is 1984, Betty Mahmoody is a loving wife to her Iranian born husband who is simply referred to as ‘Moody’ and a doting mother to five-year old daughter Mahtob. Moody is a physician and Betty a homemaker who have a comfortable life in Michigan. All this changes, when Moody wants to take Betty and Mahtob to Tehran to meet his family. Betty is very reluctant to visit Iran due to the various changes and volatility of the country. Eventually she agrees to a two-week visit to Moody’s family. Yet when it is time for the family to return to America, Moody tells Betty that he plans for the family to stay in Iran, much to Betty’s dismay. When she protests, Moody starts to become physically and emotionally violent towards her, telling her that she must obey and conform to his ways or else. Realizing that she is trapped in a culture she doesn’t understand, knowing that her daughter could be taken away from her if she tries to divorce Moody and constantly watched by Moody and his family, Betty knows that the chance for escape with her daughter is pretty slim. But Betty hasn’t given up yet and secretly she plans her dangerous escape out of Iran, after meeting Hamid, a kindly shopkeeper with connections to the humanitarian Houssein who can help her plan a secret way to leave her brutish husband and return to safety as he has helped many people in the same situation before.

Now from what I’ve read about this film and the book that inspired it, Not Without My Daughter has greatly courted controversy. The main criticisms I’ve read are that the movie doesn’t portray Islam or Iran accurately and favours a stereotypical light. I’m not exactly well-versed in either subject but I do think that this is a movie, and it is based on one person’s experience of a place. I don’t think it should be taken as stone cold fact that every aspect is like how it is depicted here. Brian Gilbert at least manages to craft many suspenseful scenes as Betty plans her escape, knowing the danger it could bring and executes them with a powerful impact. Where Not Without My Daughter flounders is with the writing and all over the place sense of time. At times the sheer terror of the situation is ruined by a ridiculous line of dialogue or a slide into melodrama. The passage of time is another problem, with scenes passing by too quickly to sometimes register what is going on. It still retains a harrowing impact, but it could have improved upon greatly and doesn’t quite present the nightmarish situation of Betty as well it could. The score provided has emotional clarity to it as well, yet over indulges it on the synthesizers at times. With all of this hampering, at least Not Without My Daughter still becomes absorbing thanks to solid direction and effective cast.

What helps elevate Not Without My Daughter is the work of the cast, in particular Sally Field. Filled with a terrified realization, a quiet determination and a maternal love, Field is marvellous at conveying the struggles Betty endures and her will to find a way to freedom. Rising above the flawed script, Sally Field makes us sympathise with this woman in a nightmarish situation who knows that the odds are against her but still won’t give up in her quest to save herself and her daughter. Alfred Molina excellently portrays the shift in character of Moody, who goes from a seemingly caring husband to domineering tyrant with an alarming and frightening intensity. Molina is also physically well cast as Moody, as his height towers with menace over the petite Field. Young Sheila Rosenthal is very good as Mahtob, who is caught in the middle of everything and who doesn’t quite understand what is going on around her. Roshan Seth and Sasson Gabai are effective as two of the people who help orchestrate Betty’s escape.

Not Without My Daughter is far from a neatly constructed movie and does fall short in various intervals, but it gains an immense impact from the committed cast and some tense direction.

Chocolat

Tags

2000's, Alfred Molina, Carrie-Anne Moss, Chocolat, Comedy, Drama, Joanne Harris, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, Juliette Binoche, Lasse Hallstrom, Lena Olin

Film Title

Chocolat

Director

Lasse Hallstrom

Cast

• Juliette Binoche as Vianne Rocher
• Judi Dench as Armande Voizin
• Alfred Molina as Comte de Reynaud
• Lena Olin as Josephine Muscat
• Johnny Depp as Roux
• Victoire Thivisol as Anouk
• Carrie-Anne Moss as Caroline Clairmont

Based on the novel by Joanne Harris, Chocolat is a light-hearted fable to the power of food and tradition being threatened by change. Although it may be to sweet for some viewers, it still is a deliciously joy of a film to watch.

The year is 1959 and the setting is a small traditional village in France. The austere town is ruled over by the devoutly religious Comte de Reynaud, who instills the residence with a firm belief in tradition and strict values. One day, a blustering North wind brings with it a hooded stranger. She is Vianne Rocher, a mysterious drifter with her sweet-natured daughter Anouk in tow. She proceeds to open a chocolate shop just as the staunch village is preferring for a period of abstinence during Lent. The good-natured and bewitching Vianne soon becomes the talk of the cloistered community for this act of defiance, because of her refusal to attend church, revealing clothing and the fact that Anouk doesn’t know who her father is. The repressed and angry Reynaud abhors the idea of a confectionary and tries whatever means necessary  to put an end to the shop. Yet one by one the villagers are seduced by the shop and in a number of ways, Vianne awakens hidden desires within them and helps those around her who are in need of it.

Heading the cast is Juliette Binoche in a luminous performance, imbuing Vianne with a rebellious defiance that helps combat the opposition thrown her way because she is an outsider. Judi Dench(long one of my favourite actresses) is a joy to watch as the surly and eccentric neighbour Armande, who is won over by Vianne’s charm and chocolates. Dench shows a woman who knows that time is not on her side but is still up for having a good time before she is unable to. Alfred Molina is funny yet serious as the mayor who feels pressured by the change in his town and watching him react to the change is quite funny but also effective. Lena Olin is great as the downtrodden Josephine, who blossoms into an independent woman after leaving her abusive husband and moving in with Vianne. Other people to look out for are Johnny Depp as a traveller who takes a liking to Vianne and Carrie-Anne Moss as the pious daughter of Armande, who forbids her child from seeing her because she is a bad influence.

Visually, Chocolat is sumptuous featuring many scenes of chocolate being made( if it doesn’t make you feel hungry I don’t know what will) and the dedication that goes into it.  The cinematography greatly adds to the look of the town, cold and eerie from tradition and the arrival of the vivacious Vianne eliciting brightness among the lives of the townspeople. The music score featured adds a playful tone to the film, with finicky violins reminding one of the sinfully delicious temptation of Vianne’s chocolates. Taken as a comic fable from Lasse Hallstrom, it is an outstanding film but there are those that will find it cloying and sentimental. Love it or loathe it, it is hard not to be captured by this delicious story.