The bad, not ugly

It's a fable, a myth-but of such small proportions.

Can't they just call it Chocolate?

They've gone and done it. The last thing Lasse Hallstrom's Chocolat needed was another reason to see itself as cute, coy, or cultured. So they toss it Oscar nods—and not just Oscar "nods," but the nod: Best Picture. Please.

I'll give it whimsical. I'll give it beautiful. But I will not fork over "Oscar material." Even in this lackluster film year (at least by my standards), Chocolat seems a bit too frothy, a bit too insubstantial, a bit too contrived to even begin to approximate a best film pick.

Mind you, I did not dislike the movie. It was lovely. It was fanciful. It just so happened to take place in a town full of caricatures. Now, caricatures have their uses when played out against the backdrop of a phenomenally intriguing plot, but pepper-flavored chocolate that accentuates desire didn't quite hold such intrigue. Plus, the rebel love interest had a ponytail and played the guitar. Need I say more?

Fine, I'll say more: it's an American film that feigns French identity for its title. I suppose that makes it coy and cute. And it makes it cultured in appearance, which means it needs a caricature of a title to reflect the film's population.

In its defense, the entire birthday scene—in the garden, on the barge—was filmed with intensely saturated colors that rendered it sensuous and spectacular. The burning of the barge mesmerized me. That's exactly why they nominated it for a cinematography award—there's no need to conflate its beauty with a well-told story or emotional resonance.

Because in the end, Chocolat comforted me. The neat conclusion of Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp's romance, its familial conflict, its social intolerance—all of that was heartening. One January night, I escaped this world for a little under two hours.

Comfort and escape are both admirable traits in a film, but they are not traits that announce the presence of greatness—the presence of the best. Chocolat is a film that rests simply upon its evocation of a place and existence so attractive and inspiring that we can't help but be drawn in. Characters we wish we were or knew. Problems solved with a little taste of chocolate.

A slight confection. Sadly, a confection with only a fraction of its namesake's power.

Back to A&E...