Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell make a convincing attempt to bring rom-coms back into the limelight with their latest movie “Anyone But You.” While the film is not free from its awkward moments, it proves to be a charming and funny flick that will ignite excitement among audiences for the rom-com renaissance.
The film centers around Bea, played by Sweeney, and Ben, played by Powell, who, after a brief relationship turned sour, must learn to tolerate each other when they both end up at a destination wedding in Australia.
What surprised me the most about the film was the fact that it was based off of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” which wasn’t immediately clear, and honestly made a lot of the choices in the film — such as the Shakespeare quotes everywhere — seem quite random until I realized the connection.
The choice to use “Much Ado About Nothing” as a heavy inspiration for the film held the movie back from being something original and fresh, as it ended up forcing the plot into one specific direction, when it would have been more beneficial to take the story to exciting, new places.
Despite this setback, Sw e e n e y a n d Pow e l l’s chemistry shined through the predictable and somewhat boring plot, giving this film its unique charisma. Powell’s 40-year-old frat boy provides the perfect contrast for Sweeney’s little miss perfect, and despite each of their characters’ flaws, the audience just can’t help but root for Bea and Ben every step of the way.
This film did not fall short on the comedy side of the rom-com, either. While it did indeed have its fair share of awkward jokes, the majority of the movie was genuinely funny, providing the type of conversational wit that has been absent from rom-coms for a decade. The jokes about Ben being afraid of flying were especially appreciated, given Powell’s previous role in “Top Gun: Maverick.”
The setting for the film was nothing short of beautiful, as the sunny and sandy Australia provided the perfect flowery setting for both a classic romcom and a loose “Much Ado About Nothing” adaptation. Mixed with the stunning costumes, this film created the perfect romantic atmosphere that definitely pleased the eye.
However, the film’s desire to make sure the audience saw absolutely all of Australia led to the film being somewhat over the top at times. Rom-coms are supposed to be quaint, not showy, but the filmmakers seemed determined to show every landmark Australia’s got. I mean, the film had a huge helicopter scene twice. If that’s not a bit extravagant, I don’t know what is.
All in all, “Anyone But You” is a cute, feel-good film that is definitely worth the watch. It brought back the fun, light hearted feel that has desperately been missing from theaters for far too long, so if you have some extra time on your hands, “Anyone But You” is not a bad way to spend it.
“Anyone But You” is available to watch in theaters now.
