By: Sofia Dajer
Last week I went with two of my friends to the movies to watch the brand new rom-com that the whole internet is currently talking about. Anyone But You is a film produced by Will Gluck and reached the big screen on December 22 of 2023. It tells the story of Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) who had an amazing first date until things got a little complicated. They had a great start but were later turned against each other. However, because of the marriage of Bea’s sister and Ben’s best friend, they had to go on a trip to Australia. For them to not ruin the celebration, this romantic comedy tells the story of how they had to fake a friendship on the trip.
I have to admit that before watching the movie I had little expectations of it. I’ve always been a fan of romantic comedies -especially the older ones from the 90s-2000- and I think that the newer movies have no comparison to the older ones. I think I’ve seen the majority of the movies that are inside the romantic genre, and most of the time I’m disappointed with the new movies that Netflix or other streaming platforms produce because of how they do not have a solid plot, their bad acting, and other reasons. This is why I was not that excited to watch Anyone But You.
Even though I was not that motivated, as soon as I saw multiple TikToks saying that this movie was just like the older ones, especially How To Lose a Guy In Ten Days (which is one of my favorite movies) I got more hyped about it and decided to give it a try with some friends.
As soon as the first scene started, I can say that I was instantly engaged. My friends and I could not stop laughing at the bathroom scene in the coffee shop and loving the chemistry between the characters. I loved how the movie had a great cast, the father of Bea was even a protagonist of multiple old rom-coms such as My Best Friends Wedding (1997), and The Wedding Date (2005), which just brought many memories between those rom-com fans. Moreover, I think that the signature song for the movie- Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield was a hit among the audience. Using a song that brings you back to those old movies makes you feel more attached to the story and the movie. It even had the whole theater singing!
It is clear to say that Anyone But You did not disappoint and brought back my faith in new romantic movies. It is a movie that makes you laugh until your stomach hurts and makes you wish to experience a love like that. The plot of the movie is so smooth that you feel directly attached to every decision that the characters make, making you feel chills, excitement, frustration, and joy. I highly recommend watching this movie with your closest friends, and I’m certain that you will enjoy it as I did.