Rent Chocolat (2016)

Great film - Chocolat review by PT

A brilliant film - interesting and thought provoking. It is based on a true story and this means that there is a historical dimension to it as well

What an absolute masterpiece. - Chocolat review by CD

What an absolute masterpiece. A great film that is thoughtful, entertaining, depressing and hopeful, achieved with brilliant acting and superb cinematography.

Excellent and entertaining French circus drama set most in 1903 loosely based on a true story - Chocolat review by PV

This is VERY loosely based on the real-life story of Rafael Padilla, born a slave to slaves in Spanish colony Cuba which only ended slavery in 1886! It states in the credits that it is 'loosely based' on a book of the clown Chocolat's life, so much here is fiction.

For example, Chocolate would have had a Spanish accent, and the 'white' clown Footit was in real life BRITISH, who went to live in France - here he is shown as French.

However, it is all highly enjoyable, interesting, entertaining, tragic and comic, a decent biopic and one which does not preach, sermonise or lecture about race/racism as so many films about similar subject matter do. It wisely lets the story be character-led, and shows the performances.

I wanted a bit more - esp re the back story of the English clown Footit and his hinted-at sexuality and where the money went. But maybe that would be another film. Just a tad more would have sorted that, a scene or two.

Watch to the end to see real footage of the clown duo Footit and Chocolat. Taken by Lumiere Brothers.

4.5 stars rounded up.