Chocolat

With Lasse Hallström behind the camera, it's no surprise this film ended up pretty sentimental and cheesy. That said, it's not really his worst film either. It felt like a lamer take on Perfume, where smell is substituted with chocolate and the romance gets a more prominent place in the spotlight.

Vianne lives in a small, dormant town in France. Time stood still here, its inhabitants devout and submissive Christians. Things take a sharp turn when Vianne opens up a chocolate store and seduces the people of the village with her sweets. Not everyone is happy with Vianne's intrusion, certainly not the mayor who feels his power is slipping away.

The quirky setup and somewhat self-conscious tone make this film watchable, but the performances are relatively weak and Hallström's direction is pretty tame. This isn't the visceral and overwhelming experience it could've been, instead it's a decent enough charmer which lacks impact.