“Anyone But You”

As far as R-rated comedies go, “Anyone But You” is fairly tame. There isn’t much of a raunch factor here, and the biggest surprise about this rom-com for adults is that it’s much better than I ever could have expected it to be. It checks all the formulaic boxes and is highly predictable, but there are a few shimmers of originality and an appealing cast that work to make this quite enjoyable for fans of the genre.

Law student Bea (Sydney Sweeney) meets the older, handsome Ben (Glen Powell) in a coffee shop, where they hit it off and go on an amazing first date. Their attraction is red hot until the next morning, when a misunderstanding ruins their potential romance forever. Months pass and the two find themselves unexpectedly reunited in the most awkward fashion at a destination wedding in Australia. In order to avoid questions and even more meddling from their families, Ben and Bea pretend to be a couple for a week just to get through the event.

You can guess what happens next because the narrative falls into line in the exact way as you’d expect. There isn’t anything particularly new or exciting about this movie, but the premise is fun and the story is charming. Director and co-writer Will Gluck begins his movie with a great meet-cute and keeps the setup simple, adding in a handful of funny jokes and an appealing cast of characters that are easy to spend time around.

The casting is on point, yet none of the actors are great talents (this is a film that could double as a master class in overacting). Powell and Sweeney are believable as an odd couple, and both have a charisma that leans towards comfortable rather than magnetic. Everyone here has terrific chemistry though, right down to the smallest supporting players (including Alexandra Shipp, Hadley Robinson, Dermot Mulroney, and Gata), and each one is perfect for the genre.

“Anyone But You” isn’t for everyone, and viewers that can’t suspend disbelief and aren’t fans of romantic comedies will be rolling their eyes and groaning during most of the movie. Yes, it follows the tried-and-true formula, but the film is executed well and succeeds at the most important thing of all: being highly entertaining.

By: Louisa Moore