Anyone But You, the 2023 romantic comedy starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell has captivated hopeless romantics and comedy lovers alike, and recently surpassed 200 million dollars in global box office revenue. Anyone But You highlights the classic “enemies-to-lovers” trope that viewers cannot get enough of, and notably showcases the 2004 song, Unwritten, by Natasha Bedingfeild. The tremendous success of Anyone But You not only causes you to leave the theater with Unwritten stuck in your head, but leads us to ask the question: has the “rom-com” renaissance begun?

Romantic comedy ratings have been at an all-time low in the past few years. According to CNBC, from 2004 to 2010, there were between fifteen and twenty-five romantic comedy or romance films released in Hollywood each year. This seven year period is now known to be the classic rom-com era. Many household name rom-coms came out during these few years, including 13 Going On 30, 27 Dresses, The Proposal and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, to name a few. This rom-com boom came to an abrupt halt, however, as there were less than fifteen new rom-com releases per year from 2011 through last year, with most years falling below ten releases. Viewers have been itching for a new romantic comedy capable of measuring up to those classic films, and, based on its commercial success and the enthusiasm of its audiences, Anyone But You has proven to do just that. 

The film features Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell), who despise each other due to a misunderstanding after a romantic night together. However, in perfect romantic comedy fashion, the two are forced to see each other again at an Australian wedding, and they decide to develop a fake romantic relationship so that Bea can get her parents off her back and Ben can make an ex-girlfriend jealous, which ends up leads them down an unexpected path of love. Anyone But You does an outstanding job of doing just what a romantic comedy should do: it gives viewers a light-hearted, fun watch, with a perfect balance of romance and comedy. Comedic moments, such as when spiders crawl into Ben’s swimsuit, are contrasted with romantic moments, such as Ben cooking Bea grilled cheese, Bea helping Ben overcome his fear of heights by singing him Unwritten, Ben’s “serenity song,” and finally Ben’s declaration of love. 

Anyone But You is the perfect watch for anyone looking for a light-hearted and adorable blend of romance and comedy. In fact, Anything But You is just the beginning, the rest is still unwritten in the world of romantic comedies. Perhaps there will soon be another boom in the rom-com industry, as there was two decades ago.