“Anyone But You,” a film from director Will Gluck, may leave you humming Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” or swooning over the two leading stars, Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney. Unfortunately, the fleeting pleasant impressions are all that the film offers.
Loosely based on William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” the R-rated romantic comedy premiered on Dec. 22, generating $6 million in U.S. and Canada box office sales on its opening weekend. This is a relatively low sum compared to other 2023 rom-coms like “No Hard Feelings,” which grossed $15 million in its opening weekend. Sweeney and Powell themselves have also garnered significant media attention for their indisputable off-screen chemistry, which fans quickly observed during the movie’s press tour.
In the film, the two protagonists, Ben (Powell) and Bea (Sweeney) share a blissful evening together, filled with sizzling homemade grilled cheeses and characterized by an undeniable rapport. However, a miscommunication causes them to lose touch. By a twist of fate, the two eventually reunite at a destination wedding set in the heart of Sydney, Australia, where the rest of the wedding party attempts to mend the ex-lovers’ relationship. Ultimately, Ben and Bea devise a fake dating scheme — never a good idea in a rom-com — to achieve their individual goals for the trip.
“We made the rom-com big again,” Sweeney said in a mid-December interview with Deadline.
Although “Anyone But You” boasts an attractive cast, steamy chemistry, a luxurious backdrop and the occasional laugh, it fails to deliver on Sweeney’s bold prior comments. Regardless of the classic rom-com components, the movie lacks character development and overall depth, contributing to a dull and two-dimensional final product.
Most of all, “Anyone But You” seems to confuse genuine affection with extravagant gestures. A handful of scenes display Ben nearly risking his life to express his love for Bea, particularly when Ben jumps into the Sydney Harbor to rescue Bea, who toppled off of a yacht. However, they hardly have any meaningful conversations with one another, apart from their initial fighting.
While actions can speak louder than words, the movie took this to a new extreme, virtually abandoning the key element of intimate dialogue in a romantic connection. In essence, “Anyone But You” falls short of capturing a more authentic love, apart from the few earlier scenes. Despite the intense chemistry between the two, their utter lack of personality and character growth muddles the actual romance, ultimately classifying “Anyone But You” as a feel-good yet rudimentary rom-com.
Yet at its core, the rom-com genre thrives when it portrays an airy, charming and perhaps even idealistic type of romance. Although “Anyone But You” lacks a riveting plot and interesting characters, it nonetheless encapsulates many compelling aspects of the genre, which drive rom-com fans to the theaters in hordes.
If you prefer a light-hearted — albeit predictable — story, then you may appreciate this movie. However, if you dislike this type of unsurprising melodrama, then this movie is for anyone but you.
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Twitter: @KarinaaEidd
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