This is a film that depends totally on the right leads, in fact it is crucial to the whole thing and in Isabel Carre and Benoit Poelvoorde filmmaker Jean-Pierre Ameris strikes gold. The two actors had already appeared in together in Ann Fontaine's Entre Ses mains, a much darker film in which Poelvoorde, who made his name as a stand-up comedian, played a serial killer to whom Carre is drawn despite suspecting him. Here they are called upon to portray two chronically shy people who clearly are made for each other but unable to act on it. It is not, of course, the first time food has been employed as a metaphorical match-maker, witness the wonderful Mostly Martha, and chocolate itself has racked up considerable screen time but even so Romantics Anonymous gets the blend just right unlike Carre's and in one respect we could say that here Carre shows Audrey Tautou - whose own attempt at the genre recently suffered from a lack of chemistry between the two leads - just how to do it. I am fully aware that for everyone who revelled in it as I did there will be those who fail to see the magic - but then there are possibly those who don't 'get' The Wizard of Oz or Meet Me In St Louis - but all I can say is I'm ready to watch it again.

A few days ago, I saw a terrible romantic comedy that I reviewed. Most of the problem with it was the atrocious writing and I ended my article suggesting you try another film--ANY other film. Well, I just saw a wonderful romantic comedy--one that I heartily endorse and hope you see with someone you love. This is THE film to see instead. Sadly, however, because it's a French language film, many folks won't even consider it.

The film is about two amazingly shy people--so shy that she faints when she is nervous and he tends to run away when he gets a case of the nerves! How the two finally get together is what makes this an ultra-charming and delightful film.

It begins with Angélique (Isabelle Carré ) going on job interview to become a chocolatier. What she doesn't know is that the man interviewing her, Jean-René (Benoît Poelvoorde),is also incredibly shy. She's so shy that she doesn't even tell him that she wants to make chocolates and he's so shy that he doesn't even tell her she's been hired! Eventually, she somehow figures out she's been hired but reluctantly goes out to sell his sub-par chocolates because he thinks she wants to be a salesperson. But chocolate shops don't want his candies and unless something happens, she realizes that the company is bound to go bankrupt. What you then learn is that she is a world-class chocolatier--but is so shy that she cannot bring herself to tell anyone that she is the 'mysterious hermit' who has previously gained nationwide fame for the chocolates. How can she manage to help Jean-René without revealing who she really is? And, more importantly, how can the pair ever get together romantically considering they are absolutely hopeless with the opposite sex?

So why did I like this film so much? Well, the characters are so cute and adorable you can't help but care about them and love them. This means that the actors, director (Jean-Pierre Améris) and writer (Jean-Pierre Améris also co-wrote the film) did a fabulous job in this film. Additionally, the film is so totally unique and so amazingly clever that you cannot help but enjoy. Try this film--I pretty much guarantee that if you watch it you will enjoy it. And, if you have Netflix, it's now available. Or, since it's such a great film, you might just want to buy this film from Amazon for less than $14--a real bargain!

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.