Misunderstandings are the core of many romantic comedy narratives. That being said, it takes more than missed communication to make a specific story work.
Anyone But You was released in theaters last year. A reboot of William Shakespeare‘s Much Ado About Nothing, Bea (Sydney Sweeney, who also functioned as a producer) and Ben (Glen Powell) had a one-night stand after meeting in a coffee shop. It started out well but ended up as a dumpster fire.
Months later, they are forced to endure another’s company. The animosity between Ben and Bea is obvious. Her sister Halle (Hadley Robinson) is marrying his friend Claudia (Alexandra Shipp) in Australia. Included in the wedding party are both of their exes and her parents. Ben wants to make his former girlfriend jealous. Bea wants to get her prior fiance and parents off her back. They agree to pretend to be a couple. As expected the pretense does not last long.
If there was a film to reboot the genre, this is it. Powell and Sweeney have amazing chemistry. It’s not a line-by-line remake of the original text, but there is enough of the play to keep any fan of the Bard engaged with the tale.
The screenplay also includes the female gaze, giving the women on screen the opportunity to be more than just the standard love interest or best friend. Without giving it away, the male physique that we see is long overdue.
Do I recommend it? Absolutely.
Anyone But You is available for streaming on Netflix.
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