Chocolat, a review.
by Redfox
Chocolat
Johnny Depp has a great collaboration with Lasse Halström on his account in the movie “What´s eating Gilbert Grape?” from 1993. Unfortunately, his performance in Chocolat doesn’t get anywhere near his role as Gilbert. In fact, I think here he is even weaker than in “Nick of Time,” which at least gives him many different screen partners and is therefore a good exercise in communication (laughing spot).
There isn´t much to be said about Chocolat – somewhat romantic, somewhat cheesy and empty. It, I imagine, plays on the feelings of a girl/woman audience, but I think it is an awful generalization, and I myself am insulted by the assumption that any longhaired skirt would definitely fall for this. The good things about this movie are some other actors: Alfred Molina, Lena Olin, and I really liked the comic, unfairly small part of Hugh O´Conor. Unfortunately that means Roux is deeply overshadowed by the more complex and interrelated characters.
So what is Johnnys role in it. Roux, so called river-rat with a guitar and greasy hair. A candy cotton-soft and even disgustingly sweet gent, whose only really good treat is to enable Johnny show his way with the guitar strings. With his gypsy family and his little girl, Johnny steps into the realm where he, ever since becoming a family man himself, has visited frequently. A much-too-good-and-unselfish-daddy. Also Roux is depicted as a “kindred spirit” to Vianne, another constant traveler. Yes, I get it, I know what he was aiming at, but I can´t accept my oversee –native Lasse putting those fine actors ( I LOVED Juliette Binoche in The Husar on the roof) in this soap opera.
I must say, the bigger a star Johnny was by that time, the more it is a shame his character here is not 1/10 of the Mayor or Josephine, even Anouk. Damn it, even Anouk´s kangaroo and the old mans chocolate-frenzy dog are giving a better performance.
I think Johnny when playing the part lacked the same things as his character: interrelations with a large number of townspeople. There is not enough diversity in his whole appearance, his coming and going.
Or maybe his performance as Gilbert Grape did spoil me and my expectations to this second collaboration with Lasse were too high. Still, if maybe Johnny had too much free time at his hands that made him say yes to this project, he honestly might have invested that time better.
© Redfox/Tallinn, Estonia 2006
Summary