Romantic Comedies getting a theatrical release has become an infrequent occurrence. As a fan of the genre and the theatrical experience in general, it’s a constant source of disappointment that so many romantic comedies are immediately relegated to streaming. Fortunately, somehow, Anyone But You found its way to a theatrical release.
Bea (Sydney Sweeney) desperately needs to use the bathroom but is halted by the rules of the hipster coffee shop she’s in. On the verge of an accident, a kind stranger who is next in line pretends to be her husband. Ben (Glen Powell) and Bea have quick chemistry and awkwardly place an order to get her the coveted restroom key. What follows is possibly one of the best first dates anyone could hope for…so how could it all go so wrong, so quickly?
The meet-cute is a staple of the genre, and this film’s version of it kickstarts the film. Powell is a movie star, and his charm flies off the screen and into our hearts. Sweeney is inherently likable and shows signs of being a strong lead. Putting the two together is a slam dunk, as their chemistry is totally believable, and so is how quickly their passion turns to distaste.
The comedy here is strong, and benefits from being seen with an audience. I went to a 1:00 p.m. screening on a Wednesday and was shocked to have like 15 other people in the theater. That’s not a lot, but for my local theater on a Wednesday screening, those are big numbers. In front of me were six elderly women on a post-lunch romp. Their enjoyment of some of the more…“explicit”…jokes only heightened mine.
The film has romance. The comedy rocks at times. The cast is solid but is focused heavily on our two extremely capable stars. Yet, there are a lot of issues to take note of. A few of the cast are trying hard to be at the level of the leads, and they simply can’t get there. No one is bad, but there is a clear gap between ability levels.
Director Will Gluck, who co-wrote the script with Ilana Wolpert, delivers a mostly component story viewed cinematically. However, there are plenty of clunky moments within the story. The conflicts often feel excessively fabricated, and inauthentic. There could be an argument that Gluck and Wolpert are trying to subvert expectations – or not just repeat the formula beat for beat. The result is several moments that are eye-roll-inducing, and honestly just aggravating.
Despite those moments, Anyone But You is a solid entry in the rom-com genre and a great showcase for Sweeny and Powell. Hopefully, studios will take note of the place films like this have amongst the comic book films and the prestige pictures. There is an audience for these films – and comedy works best with an audience.
Anyone But You is in theaters now.
Rating: Decent Watch
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