Les émotifs anonymes

This is a French film about two people in a small chocolate factory, the owner and employee. Both people are pretty dysfunctional emotionally, but have a common love of creating great chocolates. They are so afraid of even making eye contact. We all can identify with their basic shyness but it becomes alternately amusing and heartbreaking taken to the extreme by both these characters. The supporting cast of vendors and fellow chocolatiers help round out the fairly limited leads, representing us - how average people like us would react in this situation.

French locations and trappings gave an old world exotic feel to the story too. When people wonder why "they don't make movies like they used to", realize that sometimes they do: This film is no different than a William Powell/Kay Francis 80 minute romantic comedy, appealing to the same audience.

A genuine "French-made" romantic comedy, with echoes of "Chocolat" and "Amelie", starring the most suitable performers for movies like these. There's nothing extraordinary in this modern fable, but here lies its authenticity. We just find two normal adults, or maybe abnormal in their pathological timidity, who just try to come to terms with their emotions and to find a way to live and communicate them. Every next step sounds predictable, but we obviously do not look for plot twists, in pictures like these, that we want to progress and end in the exact way this movie progressed and ended, without ever sounding mawkish, and offering truly amusing moments. But the main protagonist is chocolate, with its healing power, we have all experienced, to make us feel better and to melt many emotional blocks. A truly enjoyable, heartwarming and funny picture.

Jean-René Van Den Hugde (nm068814) and Angélique Delange (Isabelle Carré) both suffer from heavy relational difficulties: in public, they quickly lose their intellectual abilities and are unable to express their emotion without feeling a deep discomfort, an uncontrollable anxiety, fainting, ... Their common passion for chocolate will bring them together and Jean-René will hire Angélique who turns out to be a brilliant and creative chocolate maker while Jean-René runs a small chocolate factory on the verge of bankruptcy. They were meant to fall in love!

As a synthesis: an efficient and original love story with two marvelous actors

This is a light-hearted comedy about two people who are both overly emotional & have anxiety when placed in even the most simple social situations. So, naturally, they are both uncomfortable with each other too. But one thing that they both share a passion for is chocolates. Can two over-emotional & nervous personalities make it work? And if they can, how will they handle all the trails & tribulations that come along with wedding planning? Seems like a recipe for disaster!

It's a simple story but it's certainly not just that. Besides taking a humorous look at the lead pair's 'disability', the film also makes the viewer appreciate how difficult even simple situations can be for people with such temperaments.

Both the lead actors have done a wonderful job. Some of the situations elicit a genuine chuckle from the viewers. Very entertaining!

If you like to come out of the theatre smiling and nodding to your fellow audience in a manner that says "that was a lovely bit of nonsense and all's well with the world" then Romantics Anonymous is the perfect antidote to the Hollywood flash, CGT and emptiness.

We all know what the outcome will be more or less from the start but the journey is the thing and for the gentlemen among us there is the beauty of Isabelle Carre to enjoy on the journey. Looking at the other reviews I haven't seen any reference to the director's tip of the hat to Julie Andrews and The Sound of Music in the scene where Angelique dances down the shopping arcade with her samples suitcase.

A little gem. Go and see it. You won't be disappointed.