Jean-René Van Den Hugde loves chocolate. He is the boss of a chocolate factory that is on the fast track to bankruptcy. Jean-René Van Den Hugde loves women. He loves everything about women but is riddled with the kind of social anxiety that stops him from having even the most casual relationship with a woman. Jean-René Van Den Hugde needs a miracle.

Angélique Delange loves chocolate. She carries an enormous secret that, if revealed, would profoundly affect her world and the world of chocolate creation. Angélique Delange loves men. She loves everything about men and wants desperately to embrace love but cannot overcome her own debilitating social anxiety. Angélique Delange needs a miracle.

Jean-Rene has a job opening that he hopes will save the company, and Angelique needs a job and has skills that may be the company’s salvation. And if these two can calm their fears for just a moment, and take a deep breath, they may just have it in themselves to not only save each other, but save themselves in the process.

With Romantics Anonymous writer-director Jean-Pierre Améris has created a light, entertaining confection that will warm your heart and excite your taste buds.

This film popped up on my recommendations on Netflix not long ago as I added films to my queue and when I pulled up the trailer I knew this was a film that Mary and I would enjoy. It conjured up images of one of my absolute favorite French films–absolute favorite films in general–Amelie. And of course I could not help thinking of Chocolat as well, for obvious reasons.

While Jean-Pierre Ameris’ film does not match the quirky charm of Amelie or possess the dramatic flavor of Chocolat, it is a film that lovers of those movies will delight in, for any weakness of story is made up by the engaging performances of Benoît Poelvoorde (Jean-Rene) and Isabelle Carre (Angelique). From start to finish these two shy, bumbling characters light up the screen in each and every frame. How Poelvoorde and Carre exude such life through characters who are bound up in their anxieties is hard to fathom but is a pure joy to observe. Each character is so full of hope and desire that you would swear they are ready to burst at any moment and that energy is palpable.

Romantics Anonymous is a romantic comedy to be sure, but its comedy is more subtle than slapstick and fits perfectly into the film’s overall mood. As an audience we are invited to laugh with these characters and not at them and in the process you empathize with them as they struggle valiantly to overcome their shyness and anxiety. This is a film with a small but effective cast. Jean-Rene has his handful of chocolate creators and a therapist who gives him assignments in an effort to help him connect with people. Angelique has a therapy group that offers support and encouragement as she struggles to break out of her shell. These two devices act as outlets for the characters but also provide the audience with a chance to see the real Jean-Rene and Angelique as both characters come alive in these sessions, baring their souls in ways that they don’t even realize.

The cast is not the only perfect touch in this film. The costumes and set design are wonderful. The “look” of the film was one of Amelie‘s many strengths and that is also the case with Romantics Anonymous. Anqelique is never more charming than when we see her in her green coat and red scarf and Jean-Rene’s sensible clothes not only match his personality but also become part of a fun comedic element in the film. And if you’ve ever been in a chocolate shop you know just how dazzling and magical (and decadently sinful) those places can be and Jean-Pierre Ameris gives the viewers plenty to delight in visually both in Jean-Rene’s humble chocolate factory and in the chocolate shops that the characters visit throughout the film.

Romantics Anonymous is a wonderful little film. At an hour and twenty minutes I found myself wishing for more time. It would have been nice to see more time spent with the characters at the chocolate factory as both Jene-Rene and Angelique were in their element whenever surrounded by sweet treats. But that is a minor wish for a film that truly does delight. Benoît Poelvoorde makes you feel so passionately for Jean-Rene that you cheer for him with every little step of progress. Isabellae Carre is stunning in the film, practically glowing on screen. Her eyes are just magnificent as the tools to convey the emotion that she tries so hard to share in other ways.

If you are in the mood for something sweet and fun, Romantics Anonymous is the film for you. And if you or someone you would like to watch it with has a tendency to shy away from subtitled foreign films, this one may be a good one to overcome those issues. The dialogue is not profuse or frenetic and a lot of the time spent on screen is focused on the characters quietly interacting with each other and their environment. I’m so glad I took a chance on this film, and trust me, you will be too.