Directed by: Will Gluck
Starring: Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell
Rate: 4.5 /5
2023 has brought a lot of great movies to the big screen but finally, audiences get to see a quality romantic comedy — some may argue the best rom-com since “How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days”. “Anyone But You” is a perfect storm of talent making it a wonderful addition to 2023’s resume.
“Anyone But You” follows Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell). After a one-night stand gone wrong, the two reconnect months later when they find out Bea’s sister is marrying Ben’s best friend. Through their hatred for each other, they decide to pretend to date so Bea’s parents stop trying to get her back together with her ex-fiance, and so Ben can make his ex-girlfriend jealous.
The film stars Sweeney, who is most well known for her role as Cassie in “Euphoria”, and Powell, known for his roles in “Scream Queens” and “Top Gun: Maverick”. The two have undeniable chemistry which elevates the film so much more. It received great reviews from audience members, earning an audience score of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. On the other hand, it earned a critic score of 51%. Many critics had positive things to say about the leading two and the plot as well, however, the one negative comment critics had was that Sweeney was overly sexualized throughout the film. The film, released just Dec. 22, has grossed only $10.7 million. Not great numbers compared to their $25 million budget.
Going into the film, I had no idea “Anyone But You” is so closely based on Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”. The play is about the courtship and scandal between Hero and Claudio. What overpowers this relationship is the war of words between Claudio’s friend Benedick and Hero’s cousin Beatrice. Hmm, sounds familiar, right? Besides the plot, audiences can also take away other aspects of Shakespeare. Through side characters’ antics and their narration, the film feels very Shakespeare-esque, and as much as I hated studying Shakespeare in my English classes, this was a very creative approach to a trope-filled film, and I absolutely loved it.
“Anyone But You” is receiving a lot of media attention due to the off-screen chemistry between Powell and Sweeney. Both Sweeney and Powell were in long-term relationships, at the start of filming, as Sweeney is engaged to producer Jonathan Davino, with whom she co-produced “Anyone But You”. But, social media speculation ramped up when Powell broke off his engagement to model Gigi Paris over the course of filming in the summer of 2022. Fans started to speculate an affair between the two due to their on and off-screen chemistry seen in promotional interviews. But Powell told Men’s Health, “I’m realizing it that’s just a part of this gig now.”
As far as rom-coms go, the plot was predictable since classic tropes like “fake dating” and “enemies to lovers” were prominent throughout the film. Besides this, a lot of the major plot points were revealed in the trailer, ruining some big moments for the audience. But, none of this matters as rom-coms are meant to be comfortable. Sweeney and Powell have that comforting delivery and chemistry that rom-com fans are expecting. These two knocked their roles out of the park.
As stated before, the film was made with a budget of $25 million, which was put to good use. From the Australian setting and incredible helicopter stunts, to the big Hollywood names within the film, there was never a dull moment on screen. Speaking of, Sydney Sweeney’s costumes were absolutely stunning throughout the entirety of the film as well. From basic workout sets, to snappy casual outfits, to elegant ball gowns, the film’s costume designer (Amelia Gebler) stole the show. The film is a great feel-good film to end 2023. If you like rom-coms or are a hopeless romantic, “Anyone but You” is out now, exclusively in cinemas.
