Written by: Ilana Wolpert & Will Gluck
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd
Rating: [2.5/5]
An enemies-to-lovers storyline combines a tense relationship with the genuine attraction where two individuals walk along that thin line between love and hate. It creates a dynamic that should make for a cathartic experience when the couple at the center get past what initially makes them despise each other. In the effort of manufacturing this dynamic with its two incredibly attractive leads, the film cannot fully come together in a resonant manner, simply because of its horrific screenplay that makes no sense.
Following a magical night together but miscommunication leading to heartbreak, years later Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) meet up once again. Not the biggest fans of each other, but both have a connection to Halle (Hadley Robinson) and Claudia (Alexandra Shipp) who are getting married out in Australia. Having to spend time together for this wedding, Bea and Ben dread this upcoming experience.
Knowing this film draws direct inspiration from a Shakespearean tale, modern adaptations need to make the things work in the present day. A decision, like in this film, that fails to define any logic whatsoever and does not help in presenting these two characters as anything other than insufferably selfish children. The hatred that built between them occurred after a night where they felt they began something special but miscommunication ruined. Now, forced to be together, they decide they will ensure no one else around them could possibly enjoy this prohibitively expensive wedding experience.
You have to give credit to Claudia and Halle as two brides who seem to be quite understanding of the fact that Bea and Ben cannot muster even a few minutes of not outwardly hating each other for the sake of their weddings. The complete opposite of Bridezillas to the degree that they should have an episode and tell these two to stop as they risk ruining everything. Anyone But You wants us to root for Bea and Ben to come together through all of this nonsense, and in all reality, I just felt a restraining order should get enforced instead. Seeing how this enemies portion of the film plays out does everything but make me root for them and actually displays these two as self-centered where they cannot push aside their differences to celebrate the beautiful bond of two individuals they love.
At the very least the film knows it’s quite silly where we have other characters trying to set them up as part of some attempt to smooth things over that no functioning adult would believe. An attempt at humor that does not necessarily work but sets the groundwork of the awesomeness of these other characters and how even they realize how Ben and Bea need some sort of reconciliation if anyone will enjoy this wedding. Again, it should not take this level of interference for these two adults to act mature for a fixed period of time.
However, with all romantic comedies, we can excuse aplenty if we buy into the central couple. I have forgiven many films within this genre when they get the pairing just right, and in Anyone But You they unfortunately succeeded with one half. As much as Sydney Sweeney’s meteoric rise starting with “Euphoria” has been tremendous, she immensely struggles in the context of a romantic comedy. Something about her line delivery just does not carry the goods for what one needs in order to succeed in this genre, which certainly does not get helped along when she has to act opposite a charm machine in Glen Powell. This man has impressed for years and now, and his rise makes me so happy for him and he put this entire film on his back to even get the score it received from me here. He exudes this movie star charisma in every line he delivers and the funny ways he plays out each of these scenes allows even the insufferable nature of his character to still land positively. This role does not mark his first foray into romantic comedy acting, whereas Sweeney’s most notable roles come in dramas where she excels. Even with these two lying on the high end of the attractiveness scale, they never felt like a proper match in the film. Compare this to a 2018 romantic comedy also starring Glen Powell in Set it Up where the lead actor has Zoey Deutch opposite him and you can see a night and day difference.
While Sydney Sweeney never quite worked in this role, she does not carry the majority of the blame for why this film mightily struggles. Each of these actors have to make do with a horrific screenplay that never makes sense and jumps through the most difficult obstacles to even come together for the purposes of presenting the situation where Ben and Bea need to pretend to be a couple for personal gain. A complete whiff other than this being probably the most attractive cast ever put to a film pound for pound. Literally everyone in this film’s gorgeous and it makes no sense.
Films with Josh 
