Like Mary Poppins some 40 years earlier, Juliette Binoche blows into the quiet French town of Lansquenet and subtly sets about shaking the townsfolk out of their subservient ways.

I don't believe it. That's the tenth cream egg she's eaten in the last twenty minutes

But just as Julie Andrews found opposition in the form of George Banks, the father of Jane and Michael, so Vianne Rocher (Binoche) runs into trouble with the local Mayor.

Alfred Molina plays the Comte de Reynaud. He's a god-fearing man who's family have run the town for generations. He doesn't believe in change. He does believe everyone should be in church on a Sunday. Ms. Rocher does not attend.

Worse still, she dares to open a chocolate shop at the beginning of Lent.

The battle lines are drawn with the Mayor encouraging most of the population to boycott the shop. But the magical lure of the chocolate delights soon result in allies for the free-spirited Ms. Rocher in the form of a beaten wife (Olin), a cranky diabetic (Dench) and her grandchild (Aurelien Parent Kocnig).

For my next number I'd like to play the Candy Man

The arrival of gypsy Johnny Depp only adds to her team (and provides the soft-centred love interest). How he manages to woo her with a dreadful Irish accent is an unanswered question!

It's a strange mixture this film. Light hearted and yet pushing the theme of not always conforming and being tolerant of others. You could say it's a mix of soft and hard centres.

As for those nominations. Binoche is fine as the central female character but outdone by yet another excellent performance from Judi Dench who revels in her feisty character who's heart, like warm chocolate, melts to reveal a likeable human beneath.

And this is what I'll say when I win the Oscar

Special mention for Hugh O' Conor, who plays Pere Henri, the young priest newly arrived in town and replacing one who'd preached there for fifty years. One particular scene where he dances to Hound Dog while weeding the garden is great.

Lena Olin also deserves praise for her portrayal of Josephine Muscat.

As for that Oscar nomination for best film. Well it won't stand a chance against Gladiator, and while it's good, there just seems to be a certain spark missing.

Pleasant but just short of satisfying - a bit like eating chocolate buttons instead of a truffle.