February 14, 2024 by Francisca Schmalz (‘24)
If you’re looking for something to watch this Valentine’s Day, try checking out 2023’s Anyone But You. It’s a light-hearted romantic comedy about two people who end up being invited to a wedding where both of their exes are present. Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell’s characters both decide to stage a relationship to make their exes jealous, while also satisfying their families. Sydney Sweeney was great in both Euphoria and Everything Sucks but watching her as the leading lady in Anyone But You changed my perspective of her as an actress. Sweeney does an astounding job of captivating the audience with her performance. Glen Powell also did a great job at playing his character which is similar to his role in Top Gun: Maverick.
Romantic comedies (Rom-coms) like Anyone But You were very popular in the ‘90s and the 2000s with hits like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and 50 First Dates. During the 2010s though studios seemed to stop producing as many and the genre began to dwindle from screens. Anyone But You felt like one of the few newer rom-coms that I’ve found enjoyable. Both lead actors, combined with a stellar supporting cast, make Anyone But You a captivating, easy watch.
However, the best part of this movie had to be its likeness to Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Rom-coms in the past haven’t shied away from using classical works as inspiration. Most famously 1999’s Ten Things I Hate About You was inspired by Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Other rom-coms like She’s The Man and Clueless were loosely based on classic works like The Twelfth Night and Emma. Taking an old story and revamping it with a modern twist is nothing new in Hollywood. Anyone But You’s extended cast does a nice job of playing into the silliness of Much Ado About Nothing and displays the lack of communication and deception phenomenally.
So, this Valentine’s Day try checking out Anyone But You. At the time this article has been written no plans to move it to streaming have been announced. So, if you’re looking to watch something similar, try checking out No Hard Feelings, which was also released last year. Less romance and more comedy, No Hard Feelings can be found streaming on Netflix. Unlike other rom-coms, No Hard Feelings was actually inspired by a Craigslist ad and not by any classical works. All other movies mentioned are also worth checking out, in incase you feel like having a rom-com marathon this Valentine’s Day.