“Anyone But You,” a film directed by Will Gluck, left fans swooning over the two leading stars, Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney. This 2023 romantic comedy has a cast with stars like Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd, Dermot Mulroney, Darren Barnet, Bryan Brown, and Rachel Griffiths. The screenplay, co-written by Gluck and Illana Wolpert, draws inspiration from William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.”
In the realm of romantic comedies, the initial and strategic existence of “Anyone But You” has undoubtedly risen to its expectations during its big screen release. The tease of the hot lead duo, Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney and Top Gun: Maverick’s Glen Powell, pushed its long time rumors confidently.
The undeniable chemistry and charm of Sweeney (Bea) and Powell (Ben) was evident within the first five minutes of the film. The unexpected meet up in a coffee shop, quickly escalated to a night at his place, ending with her guileful exit had the audience on the edge of their seats, remaining interested in how the rest of the romance would unfold. At first glance, Sweeney and Powell seemed like an ideal couple, but after their bad first date, something happened that shifted the focus away from their sizzling attraction. The audience thought that Ben and Bea would never cross paths again, but that was certainly not the case. Sure enough, two years later, Ben and Bea coincidentally encountered each other in a bar, only to discover that Bea’s sister was going to marry one of Ben’s best friends. Fortunately for them, (who couldn’t get along for the life of them) a rude awakening awaited as they headed to a destination wedding held in Australia meant to be a weekend filled with fun and love.
As family and friends boarded the plane for a joyful and festive weekend, Ben and Bea found themselves obliged to tolerate each other’s company without ruining the weekend for everyone. Amidst the presence of ex-girlfriends and ex-fiances, Ben and Bea found it hard to navigate their “love-hate relationship” as they strived to steer clear of creating chaos along the way. Through flights, fights, and failures, this complicated relationship between Ben and Bea took the audience on a rollercoaster of drama before finally circling back to achieve their happy ending.
The typical rom-com formula in “Anyone But You,” with a predictable plot and profound message, kept watchers on their toes till the last second. The chemistry between leads is present and remarks a potential romance from the start. If you are someone like me who enters the theater with low expectations, “Anyone But You” contains surprising moments and evokes laughter, but is still a casual watch in the romance genre. “Anyone But You” checks all of the boxes for a rom-com with charismatic leads, a light-hearted plot, and an upbeat soundtrack. This movie is definitely a must see.