How many times have you been panic-stricken when around someone you’re attracted to? In the lovely french film, Romantics Anonymous, two emotionally-challenged people meet and fall in love at a chocolate factory. Angélique (Isabelle Carré) is an out-of-work chocolate maker who’s goes to Emotions Anonymous to cope with her fears of intimacy. She takes a job at a failing chocolate factory and then her boss, Jean-René (Benoît Poelvoorde), asks her out to dinner on the behest of his therapist. What? Trust me, it’s funny. And adorable.
The depth of the characters and their performances make this a sweet and new slant on the typical romantic comedy. Based on his experiences and of those around him, director and co-scriptwriter,Jean-Pierre Améristells the story in such a way that the characters become real people. Through their actions, we see them struggle and even sing to themselves to calm down. Both performances are so vulnerable and engaging. They are very likeable and manage to keep that level of likability throughout.
Chocolate. Oh, chocolate. We eat it when we’re happy, we eat it when we’re sad. Without going into too much detail, you manage to get an idea of just how complicated it is to make the delicious confection and how many varieties there can be. It’s a fantastic backdrop to the story.
Adding to the experience is the beautiful colors of the scenes and wardrobes. The vividness of the reds and greens really capture a cheerfulness and light-heartedness. I especially loved Angélique’s wardrobe. Director Jean-Pierre Améris’ idea was to create “a style of clothing that makes you think of the 1950s but with the energy of today, an architecture that’s more London than Paris, with bricks, small windows and warm lighting.” Mission achieved.
Hopefully this movie will make it to mainstream American audiences the way Amélie did. I know I plan on seeing it again and will most likely be purchasing i.
Rating: Simply delightful. Oh, and you’ll want some chocolate after, beware. 8/10
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