Describe the ways in which different film narratives appeal to their audiences. Refer to specific texts in your answer.

Chocolat’s naaraitve appeals to its audience because it tells its story in a certain style, which keeps it audience engaged. At the start of the narrative there is an equilibrium and balance. In this case there is a traditional town in which people follow a normal routinely life. The towns people are very religious and believe in tranquillity. However, this equilibrium and balance is disrupted to make the narrative rather more interesting. The character Vienne and her daughter arrive in the village and bring with them a change to the town. She does not fit in with the town’s people. She is independent and is more passionate about life. She dresses in a different way and talks with experience. Compared to her the town people are more merged together and dress in the same way and share the same beliefs. Vienne sets up her own chocolate shop, which bring more change to the town. Vienne in a way is challenging the rules of the town. The narrative is interesting as it is the chocolate that brings out the independence in each character. This helps the audience engage with the narrative as it is bringing out the personalities of the character and is making the audience want to find out more about them.

Chocolat is character driven and allows time for the audience to get to know the characters. The narrative is based on seasonal timing and takes time to progress. The different seasons are shown to show the passing of time. Half way through the film, the narrative becomes much more darker and problems start to unravel. This interests the audience as they want to know the outcome and how the problems are resolved. There is a hero in the narrative and this is the pirate (Roo) and the princess is Vienne.

Very fine movie about the effect one woman, her daughter and her talent for bringing out the best in people in their newest chocolate shop in France.

Binoche is perfectly cast as Vienne, a woman not tied to traditional values at all - she does not attend church and is not married. This does not bode well with the Mayor (Alfred Molina) who fancies himself something of a dictator - he wants to tell you how to live and how to feel and even has so much of an influence in church that the young priest often has to be edited on the pulpit by him.

Aside from the Mayor, Vienne has an effect on several townspeople, most notably Judi Dench, from whom she is renting the space. She is an angry woman who has been denied the right to see her grandson, even though he lives in the same small town. She does not agree with her daughters' methods of upbringing, but Vienne arranges a meeting that brings the two close together.

Also, an abused woman named Josephine, is inspired by Vienne's spirit to leave her husband (Peter Stormare) but is seen in bad light since she is forgetting about her marriage vows. Josephine works at the shop and is soon an independent person.

Binoche and Dench certainly deserved their Oscar nominations, but Lena Olin as Josephine should have received one, too.

Very enjoyable, lightweight for the most part but worth seeing