‘Anyone but You’ — The rom-com that brings rom-coms back
By Heidee Andres
Rom-coms are so back.
Anyone But You is a raunchy, modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing that will have you giggling, kicking your feet, and swooning over Hollywood’s latest heartthrob.
The film stars Glen Powell (Ben) alongside Sydney Sweeney (Bea) as they navigate their animosity after rekindling years later from a one-night stand gone sour. The two unexpectedly wind up in Australia for a loved one’s wedding, where they are compelled to fake a relationship for the sake of their friends and family. Director Will Gluck’s twist on a classic revives a genre that has been dull for the past few years.
Arguably, the film’s most substantial asset has to be Powell. He’s got everything you’d want in a rom-com–the looks, the charm, and the chemistry. The most memorable scenes had Powell in them. He gives a hilarious, over-the-top performance when his character, Ben, finds himself in an awkward situation–with a huntsman spider on his rear end. Hysterically, Ben rips all his clothes off, showing off Powell’s bronzed, toned abs.
Powell also gives a heartfelt, down-to-earth performance when Ben and Bea are stranded in the Sydney Harbor. To calm Ben down from his fear of flying, Bea sings Ben’s serenity song, Unwritten, by Natasha Bedingfield. This intimate moment shows that even f-boys can be vulnerable and listen to Unwritten.
The downside to Anyone But You was its often lackluster dialogue and acting from Sweeney and the ensemble. Compared to her character Cassie in Euphoria, Bea felt just satisfactory.
While Sweeney’s acting wasn’t inherently bad, it wasn’t good either. Most of the time, her delivery felt stagnant and bland. Her voice was often monotone, and she lacked comedic timing. To be blunt, her attractiveness made up for some of the dullness.
Characters like Pete (GaTa) and Roger (Bryan Brown) felt insincere and unnatural. They didn’t add much to the movie except for a witty one-liner every so often. Even then, their characters were forgetful.
The random sprinkling of Shakespeare’s quotes throughout the movie was another part that felt unnatural. While they were lines from Much Ado About Nothing, they felt random and oddly stuck out. The message of the quotes could have flowed better if they were just spoken dialogue or simply not said at all.
Other modern adaptations of Shakespeare’s works, like 10 Things I Hate About You (based on “The Taming of the Shrew”) or The Lion King (inspired by “Hamlet”), incorporate elements from the original plays without directly quoting them.
Anyone But You is a silly and charming movie that brought lots of giggles and swoons to theaters. While it may not be an Oscar-winning film, it is still a fun, lighthearted watch that has all the elements of what a good rom-com should be. From the well-executed enemies-to-lovers trope to the grand romantic gestures, Anyone But You proves to be a worthwhile watch.
★★★.5 out of 5 stars
Anyone But You is currently in theaters only and available to buy digitally on Tuesday, February 20.
