Anyone but You (2023)

Despite myself, I actually quite enjoyed this. After (what looked like) a platonic one night stand, "Bea" (Sydney Sweeney) and "Ben" (Glen Powell) manage to part company loathing one another. Serendipity has no intention of allowing this to be the end of things though, and so arranges for her sister to marry one of his best friends. After a few uncomfortable meetings in a bar, they all head off to Australia for the nuptials. Her parents are very keen to get her back with ex "Jonathan" (Darren Barnet) whilst his ex "Margaret" (Charlee Fraser) is also there. Against their better judgment our two decide to pretend to be a couple to provoke envy from one and protect the other from the intent of the meddling parents. What now ensues does really depend on a plausible degree of chemistry between Sweeney and Powell and I thought they did quite well. A little bit more meddling from Bryan Brown, some Di Caprio-esque action at the front of a yacht and some kindly support from the Sydney harbour rescue helicopter helps keep this amiably jogging along for an admittedly twenty minutes too long 1¾ hours. It's quite pithily written and manages to avoid the worst in both American and Australian stereotypes. It also isn't shy of sex, comic nudity and a bit of practical adult humour that makes a change from the usual puerile smut we are so frequently offered nowadays. It's entirely forgettable, but is an enjoyable enough dollop of sun, sea, sex and silliness.

Imperfect, though <em>'Anyone But You'</em> does deliver amusing moments and works nicely as a romcom. It usually isn't the best sign when the end credits are a film's best bit, which is the case here (s/o Natasha Bedingfield!), though thankfully that statement is only an additional positive for this Will Gluck directed movie. It does do clichés, but does at least add some freshness to the genre. Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell portray great chemistry, I enjoyed both performances. Sweeney's stylist killed it I gotta say, heck even Powell's too. Some of their, and others', dialogue is too manufactured at times, but that be just a minor complaint to be honest. The rest of those onscreen are satisfactory. I must say the director's father, Peter Gluck, gave me one of the film's stronger chuckles in his tiny role on the plane sat next to Sweeney - perfect line delivery! I had fun with this. As already noted, it isn't anything all that standout but it delivered what I evidently wanted. Solid. The William Shakespeare stuff was a bit forced, mind you.

Nothing to offset Glen Powell I was able to enjoy Set It Up, because there were characters there that offset the Glen Powell vibe, but this movie doesn't have that. I really don't know what it is about him that rubs me the wrong way, but even if he acts likeable, I can't stomach it. Sydney Sweeney's character was ok, she played the part well, but her parents are another source of frustration. I don't know if GaTa can be called an actor, his line delivery was like reading from a paper. The whole thing just didn't mix at all and had to drop when things got to Australia. Couldn't take it anymore.