I’m a sucker for a good romantic comedy however, so maybe I was always going to think that. I know admitting a love for light romantic films comes with the immediate forfeiture of several Man Cards, but I don’t mind. I think a great romcom is as difficult, if not more so, to write and produce than an action or sci-fi epic. Human emotions are harder to fake than aliens or explosions and anyway, any film that commits to its genre and succeeds is an achievement regardless of the category or target audience.

Populaire isn’t perfect but it gets a lot more right than wrong and with its infectious charm and period style, any minor quibbles can be easily overlooked. In 1950s France, Rose (Déborah François) leaves her rural village to take up a secretarial position at Louis’ (Romain Duris) insurance agency. She’s a terrible secretary but a fantastic typist, and before long Louis has entered Rose in speed typing contests and appointed himself her coach.

Of course the film is about more than the somewhat outrageous story. Like most great romances it’s about two incomplete people who find what they need in each other. It’s about celebrating what we can do well, not dwelling on what we can’t. It’s about worrying that there’s a better life out there somewhere, and doing everything you can to find it.

All these themes are portrayed with bright colours, a dainty soundtrack and a marvellous costuming seemingly borrowed from Mad Men. Although watching girls type isn’t normally exciting viewing (for this reviewer anyway, but whatever blows your hair back is fine by me), the contests become exhilarating viewing. There’s something about the urgency and immediacy of typing on a typewriter that really translates well to screen. In this respect Populaire is as much a sports film as it is romcom. It’s a French movie as well, so of course there’s a sex scene and subtitles, but that’s not a huge bother at all. A few plot developments are perhaps a little clichéd, which is disappointing but doesn’t affect the overall film.

The film would be nothing without the two lead performances. Duris is given the harder role as the grumpy straight man but acquits himself well. François as Rose is the real effortless star however; an homage to the Golden Era of Hollywood would not be complete without an appropriately golden lead actress. Bérénice Bejo from 2011’s The Artist is also fantastic in a supporting role.

If you’re even a little partial to romcoms or the Golden Age of Hollywood or French films or speed typing contests or movies where you just want the lead characters to kiss so everything will be okay in the world, Populaire is perfect for you. 4/5

(For Populaire session times at the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival consult http://www.affrenchfilmfestival.org/film/populaire)