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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Anyone But You is a glossy, star-led romantic comedy whose sunny Australian wedding setting and fake-couple premise promise more spark than its story delivers. Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell are easy to watch, but the film’s thin motivations and familiar comic machinery make its romance less convincing than its presentation suggests.
What is Anyone But You about?
Directed by Will Gluck, this 2023 romantic comedy follows Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell), whose promising first date ends badly. They later reunite at a wedding in Australia, where they pretend to be a couple. The setup gives the film an enemies-to-lovers flavor, with forced proximity and public performance meant to turn antagonism into attraction. Sony’s official synopsis outlines the same broad premise.
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The film is also a contemporary adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, a connection identified by Screen NSW. That lineage suits a story built around romantic sparring and deliberate misunderstandings, though the film’s modern wedding setting and celebrity-forward style are very much its own.
Do Sweeney and Powell have chemistry?
The movie’s strongest asset is its leads’ screen presence. Sweeney and Powell bring polish and confidence to the central pairing, and their looks and ease in the wedding setting help sell the fantasy of a glamorous romantic escape. Rotten Tomatoes’ critics consensus likewise praises the pair as “tremendously watchable” and calls the film a “passably fizzy diversion.”
#1 Best Overall
But watchability is not the same as believable romantic tension. The film needs Bea and Ben’s dislike to feel real before their attraction can feel earned. Instead, their friction can seem more like a premise requirement than a compelling clash between fully formed people. When the audience is asked to accept a dramatic change in their feelings, the groundwork is not always there.
Why does the romance feel thin?
The central problem is not a lack of gloss; it is the gap between the film’s appealing surface and the work its story needs to do. The wedding provides a parade of scenic backdrops and opportunities for staged encounters, but the characters’ motivations and the conflict between them often feel underdeveloped. Without enough credible emotional friction, the fake-couple arrangement has less to build on than it should.
Rank #2
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That weakness also limits the comedy. The setup offers plenty of room for escalating misunderstandings and social awkwardness, yet the jokes do not consistently turn the premise into a sharp comic rhythm. Benjamin Lee’s Guardian review, published December 21, 2023, describes the film as a “glossy yet charmless romcom” and argues that its premise and character motivations are thin. His harsher judgment is not the only reasonable one, but it captures why visual appeal alone cannot sustain the film.
What do critics and audiences think?
Reception is divided, and the figures should be read as a dated snapshot rather than a permanent scorecard. On October 8, 2026, Rotten Tomatoes displayed a 53% Tomatometer from 118 critic reviews and an 87% Popcornmeter from more than 1,000 verified audience ratings. The site’s critics consensus acknowledges the story’s shortcomings while finding value in the direction and leads: “Slick direction and a pair of tremendously watchable stars make Anyone But You a passably fizzy diversion despite a less than scintillating story.”
The contrast suggests that the film’s broad appeal and star chemistry work better for many viewers than its writing does for critics. The scores do not establish why each person liked or disliked it, and Rotten Tomatoes can update them as reviews and audience ratings change.
Is Anyone But You worth watching?
It is a reasonable choice if you want an easygoing, glossy rom-com built around attractive leads, a sunny destination wedding and a familiar fake-dating setup. Go in expecting a breezy diversion rather than a carefully developed romance or consistently sharp comedy. If convincing character motivation is what makes a love story work for you, the film may leave you wanting more.
Rank #4
Runtime, rating and home-video availability
Rotten Tomatoes lists the runtime as 1 hour 43 minutes and the rating as R. The Numbers gives the rating descriptors as language throughout, sexual content and brief graphic nudity. Sony lists the film on Blu-ray and DVD and includes Amazon among its retailers; check the current listing, edition, stock and regional compatibility before buying. Sony also says the original motion-picture soundtrack is available to stream and download.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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