Merci Pour le Chocolat (2002)

Synopsis: Lausanne, Switzerland, the present. Marie-Claire 'Mika' Muller (Isabelle Huppert), managing director of a chocolate company, is remarrying André (Jacques Dutronc), the concert pianist to whom she was briefly married 18 years... Lausanne, Switzerland, the present. Marie-Claire 'Mika' Muller (Isabelle Huppert), managing director of a chocolate company, is remarrying André (Jacques Dutronc), the concert pianist to whom she was briefly married 18 years before. During their time apart André had married Lisbeth, now dead, and raised his child Guillaume (Rodolphe Pauly). Rumors abound that Guillaume had nearly been exchanged with another baby at birth.

That baby is now piano student Jeanne (Anna Mouglalis), a daughter of forensic scientist Madame Pollet (Brigitte Catillon) and lover of her trainee Axel (Matthieu Simonet). On discovering the mix-up that occured at the clinic where she was born, Jeanne visits André and an instant affinity between the two makes itself felt. Jeanne is told that Lisbeth died after falling asleep at the wheel of her car. Mika drops a flask of hot chocolate she regularly prepares in a way that raises Jeanne's suspicions. Jeanne has her pullover, stained with the chocolate, analysed by Axel and discovers that the drink was spiked with the sleeping drug Rohypnol. Guillaume dismisses Jeanne's fears that the spiked drink could have been meant for him, and revelas that when Lisbeth was killed she and André, short of funds, had been staying with Mika. Jeanne is invited to spend a few days studying the piano with André, and is told by her mother that she was conceived by artificial insemination.

At dinner Mika reveals that she was an adopted child. She encourages closeness between Jeanne and Guillaume, and 'inadvertently' spills hot water on her stepson's foot. André has run out of Rohypnol, to which he is addicted. accompanied by Guillaume, who now share her suspicions, Jeanne drives into town to collect a fresh supply. André accuses Mika of Lisbeth's death by spiking her cognac with Rophypnol. Mika owns up. It becomes plain that she also spiked the after-dinner coffee when Jeanne is overcome by somnolence at the wheel; her car crashes into a wall. Neither Jeanne nor Guillaume is hurt. Mika passively awaits justice. -- © Empire Pictures [More]

Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Jacques Dutronc, Anna Mouglalis, Rodolphe Pauly

Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Jacques Dutronc, Anna Mouglalis, Rodolphe Pauly, Brigitte Catillon, Michel Robin, Mathieu Simonet

Director: Claude Chabrol

Director: Claude Chabrol
Screenwriter: Caroline Eliacheff, Claude Chabrol
Producer: Marin Karmitz
Composer: Matthieu Chabrol
Studio: First Run Features

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