Fearing the recent Hollywood’s Studios film Anyone But You would be a flop, Director Will Gluck proclaimed that the movie would be the industries last romantic comedy. At only $6 million in sales during its opening weekend, many could have agreed with Gluck’s statement, until TikToks relating to the movie exploded all over the app, which instantly spiked ticket sales.
Many moviegoers began posting videos on the app dancing to the song “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, which was played throughout the entirety of the film. “Unwritten” also inspired the credits, where stars of the film were seen dancing and singing to the catchy song. The film quickly rose in popularity and ultimately earned the No. 1 spot on box office charts on January 8, 2024. While Sony Pictures only spent $25 million on production, Anyone But You has grossed over $100 million in total sales.
Anyone But You utilizes the classic romantic comedy story line of enemies-to-lovers who must fake a relationship. The movie opens with an awkward, but enticing, meet cute of central characters Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) in a coffee shop. The two strike it off immediately, leading to an exciting first date. Bea and Ben seem to have the perfect chemistry, but, due to an unfortunate event the two instead become enemies. Nearly one year later, these two are brought back together with the engagement of Bea’s sister to Ben’s close friend. The pair must learn to deal with one another in order to not ruin the wedding. There is a simple solution: they should date.
This plot is not groundbreaking, but is rather an adaptation from Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”. In the Shakespearean classic, main characters Benedict and Beatrice have a strong hatred for each other but hold different feelings beneath the surface, which inspired Gluck to flip the script, having playful banter, between Ben and Bea, even with their underlying tension. Consequently, the tension the characters possess only causes the audience to root for them to be together. This film brings the audience nostalgia to the other Shakespearean adaptations from the 1990’s and early 2000’s including 10 Things I Hate About You and She’s the Man, which were produced during the peak of the romantic comedy industry.
In the 1990’s and early 2000’s around 8 to 10 major rom-coms were produced each year, but in the 2010’s Hollywood Studios turned a new leaf, instead focusing on the rising action packed superhero genre. With a hole in the romantic comedy genre, streaming services used this opportunity to focus on producing their own rom-coms. Streaming services easily produce many romantic comedy movies and series due to their inexpensive nature.
To meet the high demand and to produce multiple films each year, streaming service movies often star lesser known actors. In contrast, Hollywood Studios Anyone But You stars Sidney Sweeney known for her role in Euphoria, and Glen Powell known for his role in Top Gun: Maverick. Both Sweeney and Powell are young attractive actors, who are rising in popularity. On camera, the two have strong tension against each other, providing good chemistry.
Streaming services often cut corners in major setting expenses, such as filming in small lesser known towns without expensive props, but Anyone But You was the opposite. The setting takes place in Sydney, Australia and involves many thrilling scenes that take place in helicopters, mega yachts, and a stunning beachfront home. The Sydney Opera House is a core reference point in the setting throughout the whole film, with climax between Bea and Ben occurring there. Using famous locations to add detail to a film is not a new idea, as many 1990’s rom-coms, such as Sleepless in Seattle, have used prominent buildings such as the Empire State Building. The Opera House adds a sense of nostalgia to the film, by tying into the detailness and familiarity from other 1990’s and 2000’s rom-coms.
Because of Anyone But You’s popularity, it is evident that cinematic audiences are still in love with romantic comedies. Unlike films produced by streaming services, Hollywood’s Anyone But You did not cut corners, bringing rom-com lovers of all ages off their couches and back to theaters.
