Anyone But You didn’t just flirt with audiences—it reminded them what they’d been missing. In an era dominated by IP spectacles and moody prestige dramas, this sun-drenched, sharp-tongued rom-com arrived like a perfectly timed text from an ex you’re suddenly curious about again. With Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney leaning hard into movie-star charisma, the film proved that theatrical romance still works when it’s glossy, self-aware, and unapologetically fun.
Part of why it hit so hard is how confidently it embraces classic rom-com DNA. Enemies-to-lovers tension, razor-edged banter, contrived proximity, and an almost Shakespearean delight in misunderstanding all collide with modern dating cynicism and social-media-age humor. It feels throwback without being dusty, sexy without being cynical, and sincere without being corny—a balancing act many recent attempts have missed.
That success cracked the door open for a larger conversation: if Anyone But You scratched that itch, what else delivers the same rush? From slick studio-era throwbacks to streaming-era crowd-pleasers with elevated chemistry and smart scripts, there’s a clear lineage of films that understand the assignment. The movies ahead tap into that same magic—attractive people sparring, falling, and finally giving in—because sometimes, the best love stories still start with mutual annoyance and end with undeniable sparks.
The Core Ingredients Fans Loved: Enemies-to-Lovers, Verbal Sparring, and Unfairly Attractive People
At its core, Anyone But You succeeds because it understands exactly what rom-com fans are craving right now. Not reinvention for reinvention’s sake, but a confident remix of the tropes that have always worked—updated with modern pacing, self-awareness, and stars who know how to sell a look across the room. The films that pair best with it don’t just echo the plot beats; they replicate the feeling of watching two people resist the obvious until resistance becomes impossible.
Enemies-to-Lovers Is Still the Gold Standard
There’s something eternally satisfying about watching two people insist they can’t stand each other, only for the mask to crack scene by scene. Anyone But You leans into this dynamic with relish, letting petty grievances, wounded pride, and bad first impressions do the heavy lifting before attraction bulldozes everything in its path. The best companion films on this list understand that romance hits harder when it has to fight its way through irritation, rivalry, or outright disdain first.
What makes the trope sing is commitment. These characters don’t secretly pine from minute one—they clash, misjudge, and sometimes actively sabotage each other before realizing the chemistry was never the problem. Fans who loved that slow surrender will recognize the same DNA in rom-coms where annoyance is just attraction wearing armor.
Verbal Sparring as Foreplay
Anyone But You treats dialogue like a sport, and that’s a huge part of its appeal. The insults are sharp, the comebacks faster, and the rhythm of conversation feels choreographed rather than improvised. When banter is this tight, every argument doubles as flirtation, and every insult lands like a challenge rather than a turn-off.
The movies that scratch the same itch prioritize scripts that sparkle. These are romances where chemistry isn’t just physical—it’s linguistic. If you found yourself rewinding scenes just to catch a line delivery or a perfectly timed eye roll, the films ahead offer that same pleasure, proving that the right words can be just as seductive as a perfect smile.
Unfairly Attractive People in Impossibly Romantic Situations
Let’s be honest: part of the fantasy is aesthetic. Anyone But You knows exactly what it’s doing by placing two ridiculously good-looking leads in sunlit locations, dressed for maximum impact, and filmed like a glossy magazine spread come to life. This isn’t realism—it’s escapism, and rom-com fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
The best matches lean into that movie-star glow without apology. These are films where the leads are aspirational, the settings are enviable, and the romance feels bigger than everyday life. Because sometimes the joy of a rom-com isn’t imagining it could happen—it’s enjoying that it probably won’t, but looks incredible while it lasts.
The Ultimate Watchlist: 10 Movies That Deliver the Same Spark
1. Set It Up (2018)
Netflix’s modern rom-com sleeper hit understands that enemies-to-lovers works best when both sides think they’re smarter than the other. Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell volley insults, schemes, and sexual tension as overworked assistants trying to manipulate their bosses into dating. The banter is razor-sharp, the pacing snappy, and Powell’s rom-com charisma here feels like a clear precursor to Anyone But You.
2. The Hating Game (2021)
This is office warfare elevated to an art form. Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell turn passive-aggressive glances and corporate pettiness into something unmistakably charged. Like Anyone But You, the film thrives on proximity, forced interaction, and the delicious realization that obsession and attraction are often two sides of the same coin.
3. Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)
While it’s more ensemble-driven, the film’s central romance crackles with exactly the kind of surprise chemistry rom-com fans crave. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone’s dynamic blends smug confidence with emotional vulnerability, creating sparks that feel earned rather than inevitable. It understands that love stories land hardest when characters think they’re in control—until they absolutely aren’t.
4. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
A foundational text for rom-com lovers who adore strategic dating chaos. Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey spend most of the movie actively trying to outmaneuver each other, making every romantic beat feel like a competition. Anyone But You fans will recognize the joy of watching two people fall in love while stubbornly pretending they’re winning.
5. Love, Simon (2018)
Though gentler in tone, Love, Simon shares Anyone But You’s understanding of modern romance as a social performance. The dialogue is smart, the emotional beats feel contemporary, and the chemistry is rooted in vulnerability rather than grand gestures. It’s proof that charm and sincerity can coexist with sharp humor and glossy presentation.
6. Plus One (2019)
This rom-com thrives on messy honesty and prolonged denial. Maya Erskine and Jack Quaid play longtime friends who weaponize sarcasm and emotional avoidance while attending a summer of weddings together. The slow burn here mirrors Anyone But You’s rhythm, where irritation slowly gives way to clarity—and attraction becomes impossible to ignore.
7. Friends with Benefits (2011)
Sex-first, feelings-later is just another version of enemies-to-lovers with better communication and worse decision-making. Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis lean hard into banter, timing, and self-awareness, making their inevitable emotional unraveling deeply satisfying. The film knows exactly how to balance glossy fantasy with genuine romantic stakes.
8. Always Be My Maybe (2019)
This is what happens when unresolved history meets adult reality. Ali Wong and Randall Park’s chemistry crackles with familiarity, resentment, and affection layered on top of each other. Like Anyone But You, the film understands that attraction doesn’t disappear just because people grow apart—it just waits for the right moment to explode again.
9. The Proposal (2009)
Forced proximity doesn’t get more literal than a fake engagement. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds turn mutual disdain into a full-contact flirtation, powered by impeccable comedic timing and undeniable star power. Fans who loved watching irritation morph into desire will feel right at home here.
10. Palm Springs (2020)
While it leans into sci-fi territory, Palm Springs delivers one of the most compelling modern romantic dynamics of the last decade. Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti bond through sarcasm, shared misery, and reluctant emotional growth. It captures the same thrill of watching two people resist connection until resisting becomes more exhausting than surrendering.
Modern Rom-Coms That Match the Heat and Snark
If Anyone But You reminded you how electric a modern rom-com can feel when the dialogue snaps and the chemistry does the heavy lifting, this batch is your sweet spot. These films lean into verbal sparring, emotional misdirection, and the kind of magnetic leads who make romantic friction feel like a sport. They’re glossy, self-aware, and fully committed to the idea that love is most fun when it starts with resistance.
Classic Rom-Com Blueprints That ‘Anyone But You’ Clearly Borrows From
Anyone But You may feel breezy and modern, but its DNA is delightfully old-school. The film wears its influences proudly, remixing time-tested rom-com structures with contemporary dating chaos and Instagram-era self-awareness. If the movie felt instantly familiar in the best way, that’s because it’s pulling from some of the most reliable romantic blueprints Hollywood ever perfected.
Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
This is the obvious one, and the film isn’t shy about it. Beatrice and Benedick practically invented the enemies-to-lovers playbook, using verbal warfare as foreplay long before it had a name. Anyone But You mirrors that rhythm beat for beat, proving that sharp tongues, wounded pride, and forced proximity never go out of style.
When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
At its core, Anyone But You is obsessed with the question of emotional timing. Like Harry and Sally, its leads talk too much, assume too much, and sabotage themselves just enough to make love feel earned. The pleasure comes not from whether they’ll end up together, but how long they can deny what’s painfully obvious.
His Girl Friday (1940)
Rapid-fire dialogue is the real love language here. The screwball classic perfected the idea that attraction lives in intellectual sparring, with romance unfolding through overlapping insults and barely concealed longing. Anyone But You channels that same energy, letting banter function as both weapon and confession.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Few films understand romantic resistance like this one, and its influence still echoes through modern rom-coms. The pleasure lies in watching carefully constructed emotional walls crumble under the weight of genuine connection. Anyone But You taps into that same catharsis, proving that vulnerability hits harder when it follows bravado.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
This is the blueprint for romantic chaos with a social setting as pressure cooker. Weddings, exes, class dynamics, and unresolved attraction all collide in deliciously uncomfortable ways. Anyone But You uses its destination wedding backdrop similarly, forcing characters to confront feelings they’d rather keep buried under sarcasm and tequila.
What makes Anyone But You work so well is its understanding that these classics endure for a reason. Strip away the era-specific trappings, and people are still stubborn, defensive, horny, and terrified of being emotionally honest. Updating the setting doesn’t change the formula, it just proves how timeless it really is.
For the Chemistry-Obsessed: Films Where the Leads Absolutely Carry It
If Anyone But You proved anything, it’s that plot is optional when the sparks are undeniable. Some rom-coms live and die on the electricity between their leads, turning lingering looks, weaponized flirting, and mutual irritation into the main event. These picks are for viewers who don’t just want romance, they want to feel it crackle.
Set It Up (2018)
Glen Powell popping up here feels inevitable, but it’s worth examining why. His chemistry with Zoey Deutch is built on rhythm: fast jokes, mutual exhaustion, and the kind of workplace proximity that makes every interaction feel charged. Like Anyone But You, the film understands that attraction often shows up as annoyance first, and lets the actors do most of the heavy lifting.
Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone don’t just flirt, they duel. Their chemistry is effortless but precise, fueled by teasing confidence and moments of unexpected emotional honesty. Fans of Anyone But You will recognize the appeal immediately: two impossibly attractive people pretending they’re immune to each other until reality crashes the party.
Plus One (2019)
Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine bring a looser, more lived-in energy that feels refreshingly modern. Their chemistry isn’t glossy, it’s comfortable, awkward, and deeply convincing, especially as longtime friends navigating weddings and unresolved tension. Anyone But You fans who loved the destination chaos and forced companionship will find the same slow-burn payoff here.
The Hating Game (2021)
This one leans hard into the enemies-to-lovers fantasy, and that’s exactly the point. Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell sell the premise through intense eye contact, escalating office warfare, and a palpable sense that their characters are one argument away from kissing or committing HR violations. It’s the same pleasure Anyone But You delivers: watching hostility slowly reveal itself as desire.
Friends with Benefits (2011)
Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis thrive on conversational chemistry, trading vulnerability for jokes until the emotional cost becomes impossible to ignore. The film’s self-awareness about rom-com tropes mirrors Anyone But You’s modern sensibility, while the leads’ natural rapport keeps everything grounded. It’s flirty, funny, and powered almost entirely by how much these two enjoy talking to each other.
These films all understand a crucial rom-com truth Anyone But You embraces fully: when the chemistry is right, the audience will follow anywhere. The story just has to give the sparks room to fly.
If You’re Here for the Chaos: High-Concept Setups and Messy Romantic Situations
If Anyone But You worked for you because everything felt slightly unhinged in the best way, this is your lane. These movies thrive on big hooks, contrived scenarios, and romantic messes that spiral fast, forcing their leads into proximity, emotional honesty, and inevitable attraction. The setups are wild, the feelings are inconvenient, and that’s exactly the fun.
Set It Up (2018)
Two overworked assistants conspiring to trap their demanding bosses into a romance is already a rom-com sugar rush, but Set It Up goes further by letting the scheme blow up beautifully. Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell have the kind of spark that feels like it might accidentally start a fire, especially as their characters juggle ambition, jealousy, and unexpected vulnerability. Like Anyone But You, it understands that meddling, miscommunication, and proximity are a recipe for romantic disaster.
Palm Springs (2020)
A time-loop rom-com shouldn’t feel this sexy, cynical, or emotionally sharp, but Palm Springs pulls it off. Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti bond over existential dread, bad decisions, and the freedom that comes from consequences no longer mattering. Fans of Anyone But You will appreciate how the film weaponizes chaos, using a ridiculous premise to strip its characters down to their most honest, messy selves.
Destination Wedding (2018)
Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves spend nearly the entire movie arguing, complaining, and circling each other like emotional sharks at a wedding they both resent attending. There’s no plot gymnastics here, just pure verbal sparring and a shared disdain that slowly mutates into connection. It’s a minimalist version of Anyone But You’s appeal: put two sharp-tongued people in an inescapable situation and let the tension do the rest.
Love Hard (2021)
Catfishing, cross-country flights, and holiday humiliation fuel this modern rom-com that leans fully into romantic chaos. Nina Dobrev and Jimmy O. Yang navigate awkward revelations and mismatched expectations, with the story embracing discomfort rather than smoothing it over. Like Anyone But You, it finds humor and heart in romantic situations that go spectacularly wrong before they go right.
Where to Stream Them Now: The Most Accessible Picks for a Cozy Rom-Com Night
The good news for Anyone But You fans is that you don’t have to hunt very far to keep the flirtation going. Most of these movies live exactly where rom-com lovers already are: major streaming platforms that practically specialize in modern relationship chaos and movie-star chemistry.
Netflix: Fast Talk, High Chemistry, Zero Commitment
Set It Up and Love Hard are both right at home on Netflix, which continues to be the unofficial headquarters for glossy, high-concept rom-coms. Set It Up delivers buzzy workplace banter and big-city energy, while Love Hard leans into holiday awkwardness and modern dating misfires. If you liked Anyone But You’s balance of self-awareness and sincerity, this double feature hits that same sweet spot with minimal effort.
Hulu: Elevated Chaos With Emotional Bite
Palm Springs streams on Hulu, and it’s perfect for viewers who want their romance with a slightly sharper edge. The film’s time-loop gimmick gives the enemies-to-lovers dynamic room to evolve in unexpected ways, letting attraction build through shared absurdity rather than cute coincidence. It’s a great pick if Anyone But You worked for you because it felt unafraid to get weird before getting romantic.
Prime Video and Digital Rentals: For When You Want Pure Verbal Sparring
Destination Wedding is readily available to rent on Prime Video and other major digital platforms, making it an easy add-on for a low-key movie night. Its stripped-down approach, just two actors, one destination, and endless bickering, feels like a masterclass in romantic tension. Anyone But You fans who loved the verbal combat more than the spectacle will find this one especially satisfying.
Whether you’re in the mood for glossy Netflix comfort, Hulu’s slightly smarter chaos, or a rental that leans hard into sharp dialogue, these films are all just a few clicks away. The banter is ready, the chemistry is guaranteed, and the rom-com vibe is already queued up.
Final Take: Which Movie to Watch Next Depending on What You Loved Most
If Anyone But You worked its way into your rom-com rotation, chances are it wasn’t just one thing that hooked you. The movie succeeds because it blends sharp dialogue, undeniable chemistry, and classic romantic chaos in a way that feels both old-school and freshly tuned for modern audiences. Depending on which element made you hit replay, there’s a perfect follow-up waiting.
If You Loved the Enemies-to-Lovers Sparring
Lean toward Set It Up or Destination Wedding. Both films understand that romance often sparks best when two people start off irritated, defensive, and convinced they’re immune to attraction. The pleasure comes from watching those walls crack, one cutting remark at a time.
If the Chemistry Was the Main Event
Crazy Rich Asians and The Hating Game should be at the top of your list. These movies prioritize screen presence and tension, letting lingering looks and verbal duels do as much work as the plot itself. If Anyone But You had you buying into the couple long before they did, these deliver that same magnetic pull.
If You Loved the Self-Aware, Modern Humor
Palm Springs and Love Hard are ideal next steps. They play with rom-com expectations, poking fun at dating culture, emotional avoidance, and the absurdity of modern romance without losing sincerity. Like Anyone But You, they know exactly how silly the genre can be and embrace it anyway.
If You’re Chasing Pure Comfort With a Glossy Finish
Go for Something from Tiffany’s or Set It Up. These are rom-coms that feel designed for cozy nights in, complete with charming side characters, pretty locations, and conflicts that resolve just in time to leave you smiling. They deliver the same easygoing pleasure that makes Anyone But You such a rewatchable crowd-pleaser.
At its core, Anyone But You reminds us why romantic comedies never really go out of style. When the banter snaps, the chemistry sizzles, and the emotional payoff lands, it’s a formula that still works every time. Whether you want sharper wit, bigger feelings, or just another excuse to believe in romantic chaos, these movies keep the flirtation going long after the credits roll.