Les émotifs anonymes

Take it as a given, French cinema has a long tradition of romantic comedies, and those are among the best in the genre. The dark side is, at the end of the day, they all look a bit the same.

"Les Émotifs anonymes" makes no exception, and its first layer storyline is nothing new. From the beginning, you know what is going to happen to the main two characters and how it is going to end. Still, it is nice to watch. What is interesting is underneath. Améris uses this pattern as an alibi to tell a whole other story, this one goes much deeper than expected, though the subject is always treated on a very light tone.

The film brings you into the universe of chocolate, this bittersweet treat well known to relieve heartaches, which, this is no coincidence, fits perfectly the characters, over-emotional people. With lightness and subtlety, the film shows the constant struggle of those people to overcome everyday situation, as basic as meeting someone new or shaking a hand. You will love those characters right from the start, understand their sadness and admire their efforts to keep going.

Améris keeps up a rhythm with no time out, making of this film a thrilling comedy, with a few scenes to remember. Poelvoorde delivers a perfect, soulfull performance, showing how he masters the genre and the emotion he gives. Isabelle Carré is to fall for in her role of exaggeratedly shy gifted girl.

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.

Les Émotifs Anonymes is a wonderful film: very Fench and truly touching and genuinely funny, with just the right amount of romance versus life and love and chocolate.

The two protagonists are two chronically emotional stunted personalities - and you just know they are made for each other - but how they get there is, like the very best of French comedy, imaginative, a little chaotic, somewhat mixed-up, but always well meant.

This is a film I can warmly recommend as one of the best French romantic comedies of recent memories - it has touches of Amélie and will appeal to a wide audience - it beautifully shot and lit, and all in all, the script is witty, the situations are funny without being ludicrous or cringeworthy, and above all, this is a charming and truly romantic film, without saccharine, but definitely, with a bitter sweetness of its own.

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

ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS (Les émotifs anonymes) is a wonder bit of French fluff that may seem like a little love story on the surface, but has a lot to say about our current state of relationships. Written (with Philippe Blasband) and directed by Jean-Pierre Améris this little film takes advantage of the fine comedic talents of the two stars and brings a supporting cast of of actors to the table who demonstrate how fine cameo roles can be polished.

Angélique Delange (the perky, multitalented Isabelle Carré) cannot cope with relating to people: she is a shy young student in a chocolate class taught by M. Mercier (Claude Aufaure) who rises to the top of her class as a chocolatier winning employment in the finest chocolate business in France when suddenly M. Mercier dies. Angélique is without a job and is terrified of interviewing (she belongs to a group therapy session called Romantics Anonymous where the group shares their flaws in relating to people. She sees and interview slot for a candy business owned by Jean-René Van Den Hugde (Benoît Poelvoorde) - a man who is terrified of women as he works through sessions with his therapist (Stéphan Wojtowicz). Angélique's interview goes well and she is hired on the spot - as a sales rep!

Through a series of trial and error Angélique wins the friendship of the small staff (Lorella Cravotta, Lise Lamétrie, Swann Arlaud, and Pierre Niney) who understand the business is going bankrupt and together they stage a lessons on chocolate making that results is the staff learning all the secrets for the now defunct Mercier Chocolates. Angélique and Jean- René seem to find an attraction to each other but their emotional timidity prevents them from connecting until a big break comes: the business is chosen to attend the chocolate prize competition and in the midst of the trip the two seem to overcome their handicaps. But the future isn't assured until Jean-René attends Angélique's group therapy session, a place where they both must confront their feelings, and from there on the film dashes into a fun French farce.

The film is in French with English subtitles and comes off like an uncorked bottle of fine champagne. It is a fun, light, romantic little takeoff on how so many people must join group therapy just to relate to each other. It bubbles!

Grady Harp