Anyone But You (2023) – Movie Review

In “Anyone But You,” two people find themselves in a push-and-pull situation as they fake a relationship they realize might be just what they need.

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General Information

Director(s)	Will Gluck
Screenplay By	Ilana Wolpert, Will Gluck
Based On Work By	Ilana Wolpert
Date Released	December 21, 2023
How To Watch	In Theaters
Genre(s)	Comedy, Romance, Young Adult, LGBT+
Film Length	1 Hour 43 Minutes
Content Rating	Rated R
Noted Characters and Cast
Bea	Sydney Sweeney
Ben	Glen Powell
Margaret	Charlee Fraser
Claudia	Alexandra Shipp
Halle	Hadley Robinson
Jonathan	Darren Barnet

Content Rating Explanation

• Dialog: Cursing throughout
• Violence: A few slaps here and there
• Sexual Content: Bare breasts, bare buttocks, sexual situations, and potentially a few seconds of someone’s penis
• Miscellaneous: Drinking and drug use

Plot Summary

Bea and Ben were in an odd place when they met. Ben is still reeling over his ex, Margaret, and Bea is contemplating if her only boyfriend, and a guy she has known since she was 11, could be the one. The two met in a coffee shop, in which Ben showed notable chivalry, and it seemed like this was the start of something new for both.

However, both act out of fear and cowardice, and this leads them to hate each other. Fast forward six months, and then a little more than a year later, and they learn that Bea’s sister Halle and Ben’s friend Claudia are getting married and they’ll be at the same wedding.

Now, neither Claudia nor Halle want this drama, so the original idea was that if Bea and Ben work things out by talking or having sex, they won’t ruin the wedding. However, between Bea’s ex Jonathan, whom her parents badly want her to get back with, who is invited, and Ben’s ex Margaret, also part of the wedding, it seemed Claudia and Halle’s wish wasn’t going to come true.

That is until Bea and Ben make a deal. Bea doesn’t want her parents pressuring her on Jonathan, or vice versa, and Ben still has feelings for Margaret, but she brought someone to the wedding. So the idea is, by faking to be a couple, they can get Halle and Claudia to stop worrying, keep Bea’s parents from trying to push Jonathan off on her, and maybe Ben can show what Margaret is missing enough for her to set aside her Australian guy and want Ben back.

Character Descriptions

Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.

Bea

Currently, Bea is studying to be a lawyer, but while she has gained a load of knowledge, she isn’t sure if it is what she wants to pursue or what her parents have.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Reality.”

Ben

Ben works in stocks and has had some wild times trying to keep up with his bosses. But, despite his ability to keep up with the Wall Street Bro persona, he is a softy – especially on the topic of his mom.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Set It Up.”

Margaret

Margaret is an Australian woman whom Ben pushes to be the one who got away.

Claudia

Claudia is Bea’s older sister and Halle’s wife-to-be.

Halle

Halle is Ben’s friend, through her brother, who, even though she is younger than both, eventually became part of the group.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Tick, Tick… Boom!“

Jonathan

Jonathan has been Bea’s friend since they were 11, and it isn’t clear when they got together, but recently, she has started to doubt whether they are meant to be or, like so much in her life, he is the product of her being on autopilot, guided by her parents wants and whims.

Review

Our Rating: Positive (Worth Seeing)

Notable Performances or Moments

You Feel Torn Over Who The Leads Should Be With

Usually, in movies like “Anyone But You,” it feels obvious who should end up with whom and why. However, no one is an outright terrible person here. Jonathan isn’t a bad guy, it’s just Bea is unsure about their relationship.

Things with Jonathan are too perfect. There is no arguing, and because they’ve known each other for so long, it is more comfortable than it is passionate. Almost like their friendship evolved due to proximity and longevity and because they were of the gender the other was attracted to.

Yet, you can’t discount that with all Bea is going through at school and in life. So maybe Jonathan was too closely aligned with the perfect life her parents wanted for her? He is noted to be a lovely man. So maybe it is more about her needing to discover who she is, outside of her family and him, so that she can be happy in their relationship?

Then, with Margaret, she dumped Ben because he wasn’t mature enough to be with her. However, he has grown up a bit, and via Bea, he shows he understands romance and how to be a partner. Thus pushing the idea he is the one who got away, rather than her being the one that got away.

Then there is Bea and Ben. Yes, their relationship is volatile at times, but it’s because they scare one another a bit.

How? Well, as shown by their fights and their breaks, they have a sway over the other person that leaves them feeling vulnerable and easily rejected. So, one wrong thing said, or maybe acting without care, and they worry the worst and immediately try to recover their ego.

Is it childish sometimes? Yes. However, as they realize miscommunication, or no communication, is the heart of their issues, it allows them to get to have the banter that attracts them to each other without the fear that they could drive a wedge that pulls them apart.

Highlights

It Has Comical Moments

From Australian slang that feels questionable to Sweeney and Powell trading barbs and Shipp occasionally hurling one herself, this film has funny moments. I wouldn’t say comedy is the hook here, but it’ll make you smile or chuckle.

On The Fence

There Is Your Usual Amount Of Miscommunication and Nonsense That Romance Movies Have

At this point, I feel like I should make a post of a list of common issues movies have, and one of them, for romances, is how miscommunication leads to the conflict where it seems everything will end. You know it likely won’t because few movies ever decide to make that conflict the final straw.

But, it doesn’t lessen seeing all the ways things could go wrong, you rightly predicting the issue, and then in the case of “Anyone But You,” there being multiple times where one wrong thing is said or done, and then someone walks or sneaks off.

Who Is This For?

Fans of romantic comedies but who want more cursing, nudity, and playful violence.

Recommendations

If you like this movie, we recommend:

1. No Hard Feelings: Another R-rated comedy where someone fakes a relationship, only to realize there is genuine chemistry there.

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