Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Anyone But You – Netflix
Breeze rating from 1 to 4 palm trees, 4 being best.
Bea (Sydney Sweeney) met Ben (Glen Powell) when trying to use the restroom at a cafe. The barista told Bea to go to the end of the line, but she felt she couldn’t wait and tried desperately to talk her way into getting the bathroom key. Ben, who was next to be served, overheard the scenario and helped her by posing as her husband, getting her the key immediately as well as buying her a drink and holding her coat while his “wife” used the restroom.
Feeling an immediate connection, they went on a date and spent the evening talking eventually just falling asleep in each others arms. When Bea woke in the morning, she snuck out and called her sister to share her great date story, but when questioned by her sister why she left she thought she needed to go back. Ben’s best friend Pete (GaTa) had stopped by and poked fun at Ben regarding the date saying it seemed he was in love, so Ben’s ego replied by saying Bea was a mess. Unfortunately Ben had no idea Bea was outside the apartment and she quickly fled.
Fast forward six months later and Ben and Pete went to a club to meet up with Pete’s little sister Claudia (Alexandra Shipp), who Ben was also close to, to meet her girlfriend Halle (Hadley Robinson). Halle called out to the crowd to introduce her sister to Ben and to both of their surprise it was Bea. Ben had numerous snarky comments regarding “walking out” scenarios, and Bea was quick to return fire recalling what Ben had said to Pete that morning.
Claudia and Halle decided to get married in Sydney, Australia, and Ben and Bea just happened to be on the same flight, though Ben was in first class and Bea was in coach. It was decided that everyone would stay at Pete’s parents’ house, which was also the wedding location. Claudia’s parents had a plan to divert the tension with Ben and Bea by inviting Ben’s ex-girlfriend Margaret who he had been quite heartbroken over. Halle’s parents flew Bea’s ex-boyfriend Jonathan to the wedding in hopes they would rekindle their relationship as they were very fond of Jonathan.
Bea convinced Ben that for each of them to avoid the parent traps that had been set, they should act as if they were together. They spent the next few days doing ridiculously romantic things to convince everyone else they were together. While having a pre-wedding dinner on a yacht, one of their plans backfired while playing Titanic when Bea fell into the sea, but Ben jumped right in after her. While floating on a buoy waiting to be rescued by the coast guard, they decided to call a truce and ended up sleeping together that night. This time Ben snuck out thinking Bea might regret it.
Ben heard Claudia and Halle discussing calling off the wedding because of all the drama, so Ben asked Bea to pretend to be together one last time to save the wedding. At the reception Margaret kissed Ben, but to his own surprise was disinterested. Unfortunately Bea saw them from across the room and left the reception. Ben left to go after Bea, but she had already jumped in a taxi.
Ben said wasn’t interested in Margaret and that she kissed him, so they told Ben he had to go after Bea. When Ben asked Halle and Claudia where Bea had gone they said she went people watching and Ben knew exactly where she had gone. So Ben decided to take a leap of faith and jumped on the cliff into the ocean to again be rescued and find Bea to tell her how he truly felt.
For a funny, feel good rom-com, “Anyone But You” delivers with great comedy charisma from the whole cast.
Runtime: 1h 43m
