‘Anyone But You’ – Review
Summer is here, and it is time for sun, cocktails, and those cheeky midday movie getaways, and a perfect watch for the holidays has appeared in the release of Anyone But You, a fun, flirty and fabulous romantic comedy that marks the start to what will be a warm and ravishing summer season!
Despite an amazing first date, Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben’s (Glen Powell) initial attraction quickly turns sour. However, when they unexpectedly find themselves at a destination wedding in Australia, they pretend to be the perfect couple to keep up appearances.
Like many audience members, I’ve felt the absence of the romantic comedy for some time now. The early naughty era of Kate Hudson/Matthew McConaughey’s rom-com fun defined a generation, and it felt like this genre had been lacking for some time as tastes changed and new stories were explored. Well, filmmaker Will Gluck has decided to bring the fun of the rom-com back, by way of William Shakespeare, and the result, Anyone But You, is a perfect film to start the summer off with. Based on Shakespeare’s masterful comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, Gluck injects a fresh sense of energy, comedy and charisma into the story, and the whole cast is onboard to keep things lively. Gluck also flips the script a little and brings audiences downunder to Sydney, Australia, and this leads to plenty of comedy. And the location, and the locals gift the film with that classic sense of Aussie humour that we all know and love.
Taking the lead in Anyone But You is rising star Sydney Sweeney, and you can tell that she had a blast making this picture. While she’s built a career playing the bad girl, the character of Bea gives her room to play with, and to show audiences that she can mix things up. While Sydney is a natural bombshell and is utterly flawless in her complexion and beauty, there’s a real sense of need and want from Bea, and we see a young woman who is trying to find her place in the world and possibly someone to share it with. While Sydney gets to show off her drama chops, she also gets to revel in the comedy of the script. She’s fantastically funny and proves that studios should be giving her plenty of the ‘laugh out loud’ material to play with as she’s a natural with it.
Playing opposite Sydney Sweeney’s Bea is Hollywood hunk Glen Powell as Ben, and the two make for a solid match on screen. Over the last few years, Powell has rapidly shot up in Hollywood, and he’s becoming one of the go-to guys for the cinema industry. And deservedly so. From action to drama, Powell is a class act, and now he shows that he can also nail comedy. As beefcake Ben, Powell first comes off as a laddish, alpha bro, who despises Bea, and well, the feeling is kept mutual between the two of them. But as the film progresses, we find out that he’s a really good guy, and these two could be a perfect match for one another. Powell jumps directly into the film and doesn’t let up with his performance. He’s game for everything and changes things up with a performance that will have audiences crushing on him hard.
Anyone But You is filled with plenty of flirty fun, and you feel the chemistry right from the start. Will Gluck certainly gets the ‘romantic’ in the romantic comedy, and Anyone But You is a very sexy watch. Casting, atmosphere and location all have a hand to play in just how scintillating this picture gets, and the chemistry between Sweeney and Powell is downright fire! There’s plenty of skin and a whole heap of affection on display, and while Sydney Sweeney is a pure sex bomb in her skimpy bikinis, Glen Powell will have all the ladies in the audience swooning, thanks to his rock-hard eight-pack! The will they/won’t they sexual tension of the picture keeps things interesting, and Anyone But You is a very HOT watch.
The summer season is always a great time to head along to the cinema. Not only do you get the pleasure of the air con cool, but there’s always something fun about a cheeky midday movie! Cinema has long shared a connection with the summer movie, and Anyone But You fits that perfectly.
With its sun-filled narrative, laugh-out-loud comedy, sizzling romance, fun casting, and the sun-filled spectacle of Australia in full spotlight, Anyone But You is pure summer fun, and audiences will be in for a treat with this blissful bit of rom-com fun.
Image: Sony Pictures
