After an amazing first date, Bea and Ben’s fiery attraction turns ice-cold–until they find themselves unexpectedly reunited at a wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would do: pretend to be a couple.
I’m a sucker for romantic comedies, especially when done right. The most important factor is that your two leads have believable onscreen chemistry. Everything else, the story, the locales, the supporting cast, can all be mediocre, but if your two protagonists are convincing in their roles, you’re doing good.
Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney star as Ben and Bea, respectively, who, after a disastrous one-night stand, end up meeting again six months later when they realize that Bea’s sister, Halle, is dating Ben’s best friend’s sister, Claudia. When they announce their wedding will take place in Sydney, Australia, Ben and Bea, with nothing but disdain for each other, agree to put the past behind them and at least try to give the appearance of normalcy until they begin to fall for each other.
Just by that summary alone, you know exactly where the film is going. Are there any surprises along the way? Sure, if you want to call them that. Bea’s parents, Leo and Innie (Dermot Mulroney and Rachel Griffiths), surprise her with the sudden appearance of her ex, Jonathan (Darren Barnet), in the hopes they’ll reconnect while Ben’s friends try to set him up with his ex, Margaret (Charlee Fraser), knowing that she is still pining for him and never got over their breakup.
Naturally, when Ben sees Bea with her ex and vice versa, they both become upset, so the stage is set. Our two hopeless romantics must try to put the past behind them and work out their differences without upsetting Halle and Claudia’s big day. Of course, that’s easier said than done.
The film was shot in Australia, which makes for a nice change of scenery. So many rom-coms occur in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and even Paris, but Australia makes for a pleasant deviation. It was great to see Bryan Brown again after all these years; I grew up watching him in films like “F/X” and its sequel, “F/X2,” “Cocktail,” and in the TV miniseries “The Thorn Birds,” so seeing him again made for a nice surprise.
Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney are both hot properties right now, and based on their interactions and chemistry in “Anyone But You,” it wouldn’t surprise me if they ended up doing more films together, following in the footsteps of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. If you enjoy romantic comedies, even with the trailer telling you everything you need to know about the movie, sit back and enjoy “Anyone But You.” From head to toe, it is clichéd and formulaic but wholly enjoyable and thoroughly entertaining.
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