Anyone But You, Sony Pictures’ end-of-the-year rom-com starring Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria) and Glen Powell (Tom Gun: Maverick) is perfectly fine. This is a by-the-numbers way to spend at the cinema this holiday season. The two leads are smoke shows, while the Australian golden beach setting is its own eye candy. Whether viewed on a plane or at a matinee because Wonka was sold out, audiences who enjoy the will they/won’t of it all will leave their seats probably thinking of better rom-coms but certainly won’t be too annoyed by this. One knows exactly what is in the Will Gluck (Easy A, Friend With Benefits) directed feature. Have you seen the cringe trailer? On the upside, the actual film is slightly better.
While we’re on the proverbial upside of what amounts to an entertainingly mediocre 100 minutes, there’s no denying the onscreen chemistry between Sweeney and Powell. Allegedly, their onset vibes were so strong that many on social media speculated whether their respective real-life partners should be concerned. That kind of heat is definitely in the film, along with the required yet also engaging verbal sparring. The setup is a meet-cute between Bea (Sweeney) and Ben (Powell), which quickly escalates into a misunderstanding so broad I’m pretty sure it’s been done to death on any 90s sitcom. Six months later, B&B are reacquainted, as Bea’s sister Halle (Hadley Robinson) is engaged to Ben’s best pal’s sister Claudia (Alexandria Shipp). A big lavish wedding in Sydney, Australia is set. Can these two be civil and not ruin the biggest day of another couple’s life?
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While the supporting cast includes strong character actors like Dermot Mulroney and Bryan Brown as the fathers of the brides, the script by Gluck and Ilana Wolpert (High School Musical: The Musical) offers only dumb jokes and little in the way of development. Rapper and Dave star GaTa has charm as Ben’s BFF Pete but too often has dialogue more at home on a YA Nickelodeon show than from the mouth of a dude in his 30s. Robinson and Shipp, as the future married couple, are cute but in a forgettable way.
There’s an awkwardness to how scenes try to balance whimsy with “gut-buster” gags. One scene has B&B attempting to fool everyone into thinking they’re in love by groping each other while Pete and the rest of the crew are more enthralled by an adorable koala. (The koala is way more interesting, obviously.) Because this is the movies, Ben ends up taking his clothes off while Bea inspects his… undercarriage for runaway spiders, but it’s just not all that. By comparison, a similar scene in No Hard Feelings where Jennifer Lawrence is literally naked while beating up a bunch of teens is kinda funny but, at the very least, has the ferocity of a giant star going for it.
The key to a successful rom-com is the spark between the two leads. As mentioned, Sweeney and Powell have the coveted “it” factor. Powell, in particular, has a pretty good charming jerk thing going on. Sweeney isn’t J. Law, but she effectively lobbies each jab back at Powell. And as with most comedies of this ilk, we really want them to end up together despite being stranded in a sea of pretty average situations. Oh look, they’ve ended up on a buoy while they wait for a helicopter to lift them to safety with the Sidney Opera House gloriously in the background. Will being stuck within such close proximity and being alone means a first kiss? I mean, maybe?
I’m sure Sony hopes Anyone But You does well enough for the sake of the winning combination of Sweeney and Powell in future rom-coms. As a first attempt, the chemistry is certainly there, just not many laughs. Sure, it rises a little above the marketing that’s sold on “bad jokes told by hot people,” so another, more confident go at it may be a benefit for all.
Anyone But You opens in theaters on December 22, 2023.
