Summary
- Ben’s mother plays a bigger role in his life than it seems. Could her influence shape Ben’s future?
- Bea doesn’t have a passion for law school. What will her next steps be in pursuing her dreams?
- Ben and Bea’s exes share a telling glance. Will there be sparks flying between Bea’s ex Jonathan and Ben’s ex Margaret?
Some critics have said that romantic comedies are a dying art as the storylines and meet-cutes simply don’t feel as authentic and fun as they did back in the day. Sure, finding a new way to spin two people falling in love is not exactly easy, as many tropes have been used time and time again, but that does not mean that a new version of an old story cannot be made to feel fresh and humorous. Sydney Sweeney’s rom-com, Anyone But You, is a prime example of taking an iconic and famous tale — William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, to be exact — and loosely adapting it into a modern film that feels like a breath of fresh air.
Anyone But You follows the enemies-to-lovers story trope we all know too well, but the witty banter between Sweeney and Glen Powell’s characters, Bea and Ben (also a play on the names from Shakespeare’s script), will make you forgive the predictable plot. The story starts off with Ben and Bea having a fantastic night filled with laughs and deep conversation. However, when Bea slips out the next morning, Ben thinks something went wrong, resulting in him badmouthing her and her overhearing the insults. The two meet again months later, and their rivalry really begins once they are forced into the same wedding party during a destination wedding. Of course, there is the back and forth of Ben and Bea allowing themselves to be vulnerable with one another, but in the end, quick wit and love conquer everything.
With as much buzz stirring around Sweeney as she jumps right back into her chaotic teenage role in the third season of Euphoria, the actress has said that a sequel to the cheesy rom-com is not exactly off the table. There is a lot to be explored with the characters, and a few loose ends need to be tied up in Anyone But You 2.
Check out which plot threads should be addressed in the potential sequel.
Anyone But You
Anyone But You is a romantic comedy by director Will Gluck starring Sydney Sweeny and Glen Powell. Sweeny and Powell star as Bea and Ben, two strangers with an incredible first date that goes sour following one incident at the tail end. Thinking the worst is behind them, the two are roped into a destination wedding in Sydney, Australia, where they’ll have to pretend to be a couple despite absolutely hating each other.
- Release Date
- December 22, 2023
Ben’s Relationship with His Mother
While audiences get to see Bea’s family dynamic all throughout the film because her sister is the one getting married, we don’t get to know much about Ben’s family. On their very first date, back at Ben’s apartment, Bea asks why Ben has a giant wrench on display like it is some kind of piece of art to be admired. He briefly says that his mom gave him the massive tool and told him that “no matter how broken something is, there’s always a way to fix it,” but then he immediately changes the conversation. Ben’s friend, Pete (GaTa), then shows up the next morning and realizes that Ben has real feelings for Bea because he told her about the wrench.
Ben’s mother is brought up again when Bea’s dad is trying to learn how to dive. Ben tells him that his mother taught him a trick about how to maintain his form, and when Innie (Rachel Griffiths) asks if Ben’s mom can also give some pointers to her husband, Ben admits that she has passed. Just a few moments later, Bea asks if what Ben said about his mother is true, and he confirms. At this point, Bea, as well as the audience, can see the pain in Ben’s face when he talks about his mom, but there is also a hint of a smile, making us believe that he appreciates others bringing up her memory.
It would be interesting to know the relationship Ben had with his mother and the influence she had on his life. From what it seems like in this first film, she was very likely a very supportive individual who gave great advice and encouraged her son to be a good man. With Ben and Bea becoming an official couple in the end, it would make sense for his history with her and quite a bit of his childhood to be revealed.
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Bea’s Future Career and Passion
When Bea and Ben are together on their very first date, Bea mentions that she does not know if she even wants to be a lawyer. This admittance surprised her as she had never said it aloud to anyone before. Then, while in Sydney, Australia with the rest of the wedding party, she receives an email saying Boston University of Law has accepted her withdrawal. Ben is the first one to find out about this, and Bea only tells him because there is a slight possibility of them being eaten by sharks.
It is understandable that Bea did not exactly want everyone to know, especially during a weekend meant to celebrate her sister, but in typical rom-com fashion, her family finds out and seems to have an opinion on what Bea should be doing with her life. There is a bit of a struggle between Bea and her parents as they believe she is throwing her whole life away, but Bea has clearly not been happy for quite some time. When they finally come to terms with accepting what their daughter wants, hearts melt, but critics roll their eyes.
Bea has worked hard for many years to get where she is, so now that she is done with law school, what are her next steps? A sequel could focus on Bea rekindling her passion for an old hobby. Perhaps she could move in with Ben, and, with his help, they could start a business together. It is certainly something that needs to be addressed because Bea is too witty and determined to just sit back and let everyone else tell her what to do.
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Ben and Bea’s Exes Shared a Knowing Look
When it comes to romantic comedies, it is rare for the plot to focus on just two people trying to figure out their feelings for one another. In Anyone But You, Ben and Bea take the lead, but then there is also the relationship between Bea’s sister Halle (Hadley Robinson) and her partner Claudia (Alexandra Shipp), Ben’s ex-girlfriend Margaret (Charlee Fraser) and her new boyfriend Beau (Joe Davidson), and Bea’s ex-fiance Jonathan (Darren Barnet). If a sequel were to be made, it would be expected that many of these actors would reprise their roles, but one pair could potentially make their way to the forefront.
When Ben and Bea are “doing the Titanic” at the front of the party boat, their exes, Jonathan and Margaret, linger a bit longer and watch them. They then turn to one another, hold their gaze, and immediately rejoin the others. For anyone who knows anything about rom-coms, this single look paired with their unresolved feelings about their exes could very well result in a fling or even a relationship. It would make sense for them to at least hook up, but if there is an Anyone But You 2, fans think there could be something more to their longing look.
You can stream Anyone But You on Netflix.
