Glen Powells Anyone But You Success Isn’t Surprising His 6-Year-Old Netflix Rom-Com With 92% On RT Is Even Better

It should come as no surprise that Glen Powell makes such a great leading man in his massively successful rom-com Anyone But You, considering his first rom-com from 2018 is even better. Directed and co-written by Will Gluck, Anyone But You is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and follows Ben (Powell) and Bea (Sydney Sweeney), two embittered foes who pretend to be together at a wedding for each other’s benefit. Proving to be quite the sleeper hit, Anyone But You broke box office records, grossing $219 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo).

Like many rom-coms tend to, Anyone But You fared better with audiences than with critics: in contrast to its “Rotten” 55% score on the Tomatometer, Anyone But You holds a solid 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Powell and Sweeney impressed viewers with their onscreen chemistry and individual performances as romantic leads. While Anyone But You served as Sweeney’s rom-com debut, Powell already proved himself capable of nailing the hybrid genre with his very first rom-com in 2018, which was a much bigger hit with critics.

Set It Up Is Still Glen Powell’s Greatest Romantic Comedy Movie

Glen Powell Starred Opposite Zoey Deutch In The 2018 Rom-Com

In 2018, Powell made his rom-com debut in the Netflix film Set It Up opposite his Everybody Wants Some!! (2016) co-star Zoey Deutch. Directed by Claire Scanlon in her feature directorial debut, Set It Up follows two overworked, underpaid assistants, Charlie Young (Powell) and Harper Moore (Deutch), who both work for demanding workaholics in the same building. To get their bosses off their backs, Charlie and Harper cook up a scheme to set them up with each other. Lucy Liu stars as Harper’s boss, sports journalism editor Kirsten Stevens, while Taye Diggs plays Charlie’s private equity investor boss, Rick Otis.

Set It Up received high praise for mastering the tried-and-true rom-com formula while breathing new life into the genre. Powell and Deutch’s natural, electrifying chemistry was also highlighted by critics and audiences alike. Set It Up boasts a whopping 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, a rarity for any rom-com, especially in the late 2010s when the genre had begun to suffer. While Anyone but You has its own strengths, it doesn’t quite deliver the same quality or charm as Set It Up. As it stands, Powell’s first rom-com is still his best.

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10 Best Movies Like Anyone But You

The 2023 rom-com Anyone But You offers a classic love story, reminiscent of similar films in the genre, perfect for fans of humor and romance.

Glen Powell Co-Wrote & Stars In Richard Linklater’s Action Rom-Com Hit Man

While Set It Up still holds the title of Powell’s best rom-com, his next Netflix movie may be coming for the 2018 film’s crown. Based on a 2001 article in Texas Monthly magazine, Hit Man follows Powell’s Gary Johnson, an undercover cop who poses as a hitman to catch criminals and ends up falling for a woman named Maddy (Adria Arjona) while on assignment. Powell co-wrote the screenplay with Hit Man director and frequent collaborator Richard Linklater, who first directed Powell in his 2006 mockumentary Fast Food Nation.

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The True Story Behind Hit Man, Glen Powell & Richard Linklater’s Netflix Movie

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After having its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September 2023, Hit Man was a hit with critics as reflected by its incredible 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Though not strictly a rom-com given its fusion with action, Hit Man is maintaining Powell’s successful run in the genre following Set It Up and Anyone but You. If this positive reception continues after its limited theatrical release in May and streaming release in June, Hit Man could end up being Powell’s best movie yet, rom-com or otherwise.

Sources: Box Office Mojo, Rotten Tomatoes, Rotten Tomatoes, Rotten Tomatoes

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.

Director

Will Gluck

Release Date

December 22, 2023

Cast

Sydney Sweeney , Glen Powell , Alexandra Shipp , GaTa , Hadley Robinson , Michelle Hurd , Dermot Mulroney , Darren Barnet , Rachel Griffiths

Runtime

103 minutes