“How to Lose a Guy in 10 days.” “Clueless.” “No Hard Feelings.” Aside from all being classics of the genres, these romantic comedies also have significant plot elements in common: Two people who initially dislike each other, humorous situations, obstacles to the couple’s relationship that they eventually overcome and a happy ending. The newly released film, “Anyone But You” follows the same overused trope and, to add insult to injury, admits that it is based on Shakespear’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” It’s unoriginal, and it can’t deliver the performance as well as the classic rom-coms.
In short, although many have coined “Anyone But You” new best rom-com in decades, in reality, social media has convinced people that this movie is ground-breaking and life-altering when it’s just a cliche.
After watching, it becomes clear that the film delivers on the promise of cuteness and comedy. Lead duo Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell bring undeniable chemistry to the screen both physically and emotionally. The central plot of the film is a comedic fake relationship: Bea (Sweeney) and Ben (Powell) pretend to be in love to pacify their families and win back their actual romantic interests. While the central concept had lots of potential to be very entertaining and clever, numerous parts of the film unfolded at a sluggish pace, lacking excitement. When Bea and Ben decide to pretend a relationship for the sake of pleasing their families and preventing conflicts due to their mutual dislike for each other, the narrative would benefit from additional humorous moments akin to the spider scene. The film’s slower elements could have been alleviated with a greater infusion of comedic elements to maintain the audience’s attention.
Sydney Sweeney (Bea) rose to fame thanks to her role as Cassie, a hopeless romantic, in the show “Euphoria.” She accurately portrayed the insecure and mentally-unstable teenager who self-destructs as she cannot handle herself anymore and falls into a cycle of bad decisions. However, in “Anyone But You,” her performance as Bea lacks authenticity and feels overtly robotic.
Leading up to the release of the film, both Sweeney and Powell had numerous publicity stunts, including their captivating press interviews. Their chemistry off the screen was so intense that fans thought they were dating. This fueled anticipation, creating a buzz that drew even more viewers into the theaters.
After watching classic romantic comedies, many may dream of the love and relationships depicted, as the excitement of the couple’s happy ending lingers in their mind. However, in “Anyone But You”, the cliche rom-com plot, coupled with its slow pacing, made the song that played on repeat, “Unwritten,” feel like the star of the film instead.
