REVIEW: Much Ado About ‘Anyone But You’

January 23, 2024

Assistant A&E Editor Laney Halsey says that while “Anyone But You” is an entertaining watch, it lacks substance and memorability.

White sand beaches, clear blue water and two beautiful people with the most perfect teeth you’ve ever seen? Yes! What more could viewers want? A substantial plot and characters with personality? Nah.

This is probably the conversation that went down between the creators of “Anyone But You,” a raunchy, visually appealing romcom that shines with star-studded magnetic leads, despite the lack of an engaging plot and character development.

The movie, which is currently in theaters and rated R, centers around our two protagonists, Bea (Sydney Sweeney), a small, clumsy woman and Ben (Glen Powell), a beefy man who is scared of water. Notice how I didn’t include any legitimate personality traits. That’s because they’re nonexistent. Despite this, the two have chemistry that extends beyond their situation and are incredibly fun to watch.

But these characters have a lot to overcome. The entire relationship between them is based on a meet-cute to failed one-night stand, after which a distinct lack of communication resulted in them hating each other. To make matters worse, they are forced to be in close proximity as they are both attending a wedding in Australia. In an effort to satisfy their incessant family and friends, they devise a plot to fake date.

In order to understand this plot, it’s important to recognize that this is a “Much Ado About Nothing” remake. In Shakespeare’s celebrated play, characters Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into falling in love with each other by the other characters while they wait for a wedding.

A beloved story boils down to troupes and cheap laughs. But with this movie, it’s important to not read too much into it, because that’s not the point.

The movie doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not. It knows it is here to be funny, which is why it’s filled with antics and convoluted plots. It knows the leads bring the appeal, so it showcases them. It also knows that it will be viewed by a primarily teenage audience, which bleeds into the dialogue.

As a result, we’re left with lines like “Oh my god, you’re hot-girl fit,” “That’s so cringe,” and the use of the term “f***boy” more times than I could count. An integral part of a romance movie is timelessness because the fundamental concept of love is rooted in its longevity. It’s a universal, eternal feeling, which is why Shakespeare is so masterful due to his ability to capture it. This movie, however, is not going to carry the same vibrance and understanding in a few years when the trends it relies on die out.

Redeeming scenes are the ones that feature the actors in less-than-perfect ways. My favorite moment was when Bea and Ben were being lifted up by a helicopter out of the ocean. He was scared, so she sings a song she knows he likes. This scene stood out because her singing isn’t good and they’re both drenched in water; it’s not polished which was incredibly refreshing.

The two actors have both played complex roles in the past. Sweeney’s performance in “Euphoria” is critically acclaimed and Powell has taken part in very serious movies such as “Hidden Figures.” This proves they have the capacity to tap into emotional parts of themselves, yet the movie doesn’t set the stakes high enough that it would be necessary for the actors to engage the advanced level of acting that they’re capable of.

“Anyone But You” is a lot of fun: if you’re going to watch it, do so with the sole intent of enjoying yourself. But, that’s about it. There is nothing new brought here, no revolutionary take that changes your perception of life or love.

This idea bleeds into a larger look at society as a whole. The constant need for quick, delightful content, completely void of deeper meaning is reflective of the concept behind TikTok, Instagram Reels and every other way to achieve instant gratification from our media.

This remake of “Much Ado About Nothing” appears to have been overshadowed by spectacle, sacrificing the potential for a meaningful film in the process. It’s beautiful people in beautiful places doing silly things to make the audience smile. All to be forgotten the moment they exit the theater.