Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: A work of artistry and craftsmanship at the highest level, sophisticated in its conception and execution, yet possessed of wide appeal. Read more
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News: Read more
Susan Stark, Detroit News: A lovely film, encouraging to those who need encouragement and confirming to those who know and live by the liberating truth it espouses. Read more
Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News: Beautiful to look at and easy to digest. Read more
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: Hardly the stuff of holiday magic. Read more
Elvis Mitchell, New York Times: So assured in its manipulative prowess that only afterward do you realize how fully you've been worked over. Read more
Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: It wants to be as tasty as a homemade batch of fudge, but it plays more like a Hershey bar off the conveyor belt. Read more
Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle: A sweet little movie. Read more
Paul Tatara, CNN.com: Hallstrom, who gets more sticky-sweet with each new release, needs to learn that too much candy can lead to a tummy ache. Read more
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: It's as agreeably sweet as advertised, with a particularly yummy performance by Juliette Binoche. Read more
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: Ultimately, especially coming from director Lasse Hallstrom, such a slight flick doubles as a fat disappointment. Read more
James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Labors so desperately to offer a feel-good experience that it ends up being tedious instead. Read more
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The movie is charming and whimsical, and Binoche reigns as a serene and wise goddess. Read more
Charles Taylor, Salon.com: It somehow manages to let you down and leave you feeling pampered at the same time. Read more
Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle: Suffers from disparate elements. Read more
Lael Loewenstein, Variety: A richly textured comic fable that blends Old World wisdom with a winking, timely commentary on the assumed moral superiority of the political right. Read more
Dennis Lim, Village Voice: Airy, pseudo-folkloric gibberish at best, Chocolat affects shrill agnosticism in the service of a disingenuous pro-tolerance rallying cry. Read more
Desson Thomson, Washington Post: If this movie were part of an assortment in a chocolate box, I wouldn't spit it into my napkin. But I wouldn't reach for it a second time, either. Read more
Rita Kempley, Washington Post: An appealing comic fable aimed at those with a bittersweet tooth. Read more