15 Best Movies Like Anyone But You

Despite releasing at the end of 2023, one of 2024's biggest sleeper hits at the box office was "Anyone But You," a romantic-comedy starring Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney as former lovers who cross paths at a destination wedding and pretend to be a couple in order to placate their respective families. Given the film's financial success, it shows a potential bright future for the rom-com genre, which in recent years has struggled to have the success it once had throughout the 2000s with hits like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "Knocked Up." 

Thanks to "Anyone But You," there are a lot of audiences with a renewed interest in satiating their desire for a raunchy, laugh-out-loud rom-com, especially ones with the hard-to-resist enemies-to-lovers trope, a disastrous wedding, or perhaps a reinterpretation a well-known story in the modern era. We've selected 15 of the best movies like "Anyone But You," including some superb romantic-comedies from recent history, as well as smaller indie flicks you might've missed catching in theaters at the time. 

If you enjoyed watching the raunchy antics and will-they-won't-they of "Anyone But You" but are unfamiliar with many classics of the romantic-comedy genre, there's no better place to start than "When Harry Met Sally." The 1989 film stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as the titular strangers-turned-friends-turned-lovers-turned-enemies-turned-soulmates, with a strong supporting cast including Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby as their friends, Marie and Jess. It features some of the most iconic moments in the history of the rom-com, like the now-infamous Katz's Delicatessen scene in which Ryan's character fakes an orgasm to win an argument about Crystal's sex life, with a famous line you maybe didn't know was improvised.

Not only is "When Harry Met Sally" arguably one of the best comedy movies ever made, but like "Anyone But You," it actually had some detractors upon release, such as The New York Times, who found it too conventional and reminiscent of Woody Allen's own films. Nevertheless, "When Harry Met Sally" has stood the test of time the ways few romantic-comedies ever have, and it laid the groundwork for the butting heads romance that Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney have since mastered. 

In case you weren't aware, "Anyone But You" is actually an modern adaptation of the classic William Shakespeare comedy "Much Ado About Nothing," which has had its own faithful adaptation to the screen, most notably in 1993 from director and star Kenneth Branagh. In "Much Ado About Nothing," Branagh plays Benedick, counterpart to Glen Powell's Ben, while Emma Thompson plays Beatrice, counterpart to Sydney Sweeney's Bea. Although they initially have a strong hatred for each other, a rumor spread by their friends (played by a supporting cast that includes Keanu Reeves, Denzel Washington, and Kate Beckinsale) tricks the two into eventually falling for each other.

"Anyone But You" flips this Shakespearean trope on its head by having Ben and Bea deceptively play along with their families' attempts to get them together, though predictably, the two still end up falling for each other. However, if you're looking to see a great interpretation of the 2023 film's source material, 1993's "Much Ado About Nothing" is as indebted to the Shakespearean text as it is to translating it for a modern moviegoing audience.

The vast majority of "Anyone But You" takes place at a wedding, but it has some stiff competition in terms of wedding-themed romantic-comedies. Take, for instance, 1998's "The Wedding Singer," starring Adam Sandler as a heartbroken wedding singer who falls for a kind-hearted waitress played by Drew Barrymore. Over 25 years after its release, "The Wedding Singer" is still easily one of Adam Sandler's best roles, with a surprisingly earnest leading man turn from the same guy behind such ridiculous comedies like "Billy Madison" and "Happy Gilmore" 

It goes without saying that Sandler and Barrymore's on-screen chemistry is electrifying, leading the duo to reunite on-screen for projects like "50 First Dates" and "Blended." That's the type of relationship between actors that Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney are definitely aiming for, with Powell telling Variety after the release of "Anyone But You," "Sydney is so easy to work with and so fun. We're definitely trying to find the next thing." If being the next Sandler and Barrymore is the plan for those two, "The Wedding Singer" is one tough act to follow. 

While "Anyone But You" re-interprets "Much Ado About Nothing" for the modern-day audience, it's not the first of its kind in Hollywood. The same was done in 1999 with "10 Things I Hate About You," which modernized another comedic play from William Shakespeare, "The Taming of the Shrew." Trading Renaissance-era Italy for an American high school in Seattle, the film stars Julia Stiles as the antisocial Kat, who is wooed by "bad boy" Patrick (Heath Ledger) as a ruse so that the ambitious Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) can date her younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). 

Publications like The Guardian praised the film's clear respect for Shakspearean literature without adapting the text of "Taming of the Shrew" word-for-word, writing, "['10 Things I Hate About You'] is a bright little romantic comedy, nicely and sharply written, which wears its learning winningly and lightly." If you're looking for more modern Shakespeare rom-coms after watching "Anyone But You," you may find yourself going down a rabbit hole of finding the best movies like "10 Things I Hate About You" when you're done. 

2009's "The Proposal" has a lot of the same trope-y plot devices as "Anyone But You," and even its own comparisons to Shakespeare, with The Los Angeles Times writing, "At the soft comic heart of 'The Proposal' beats a cheeky update of 'The Taming of the Shrew' ... the arranged marriage, wives-submit-to-husbands rubric that Shakespeare played around with all those years ago." It revolves around a ruse devised a Canadian publisher (Sandra Bullock) and her assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to marry one another so that she can keep her green card to stay in America, allowing him to become an editor in return. 

Predictably, the couple's reluctant romance turns very real as the film progresses, all thanks to the bonding that happens throughout their fake engagement. Although it's rated PG-13 compared to the R-rating for "Anyone But You," "The Proposal" has some surprisingly raunchy scenes that actually rival the steamiest moments in "Anyone But You." However, Sandra Bullock's one condition for her NSFW scene in "The Proposal" was that it be played for laughs, which is certainly the case with that ridiculously hilarious moment. 

Before you confuse "Friends with Benefits" with Valentine's Day opponent "No Strings Attached" starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, we're talking about the rom-com starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. The two play co-workers-turned-friends who begin having casual sex, believing it won't affect their friendship, which inevitably, it does. While it doesn't have the wedding background or social manipulation of a film like "Anyone But You," they do have one key thing in common: They're both written and directed by Will Gluck, who also directed the iconic teen comedy "Easy A" with Emma Stone.

Watching "Friends with Benefits" is only the natural next step after watching "Anyone But You," given that it's the director's previously-successful, raunchy romantic-comedy, with surprisingly great chemistry between its two leads (again, it's Kunis and Timberlake, not Portman and Kutcher). Particularly, Time magazine called it an outlier in the modern sea of romantic-comedies, writing, "["Friends with Benefits"] revels in poking fun at the formula that of course it won't be able to avoid: pretty people fall in love, trouble ensues, and all is resolved in a way that never happens to you."

At the center of this iconic comedy set at a wedding is not a sexy enemies-to-lovers romance like "Anyone But You," but a genuinely heartwarming and unpredictable story of female friendship and quarter-life-crises. Reviews of director Paul Feig's "Bridesmaids" praised how it transcends the "chick-flick" genre, which would certainly be of interest to those who either loved or maybe even just liked "Anyone But You." Either way, the 2011 film is easily one of the best comedies of the past two decades, all thanks to the virtuoso performance of Kristen Wiig, hot off her success from "Saturday Night Live."

Wiig stars as Annie, a failed baker who is chosen as the maid of honor for her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph), though a comedy of errors ensues that tests their friendship and the new bonds forged with Annie's fellow bridesmaids (played by Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, and a breakout performance from Melissa McCarthy). You might've thought "Anyone But You" was raunchy with tarantulas crawling on naked Glen Powell's butt, but wait until you see a group of bridesmaids suffering food poisoning in one of the most jaw-droppingly hilarious scenes in cinematic history. It's just a shame Paul Rudd didn't make it into the movie.

Compared to the other films on this list that are similar to "Anyone But You," "About Time" leans more into romantic drama than rom-com, starring Domhnall Gleeson as a man who frequently uses time travel to fix past relationships, until he meets an American woman played by Rachel McAdams. The film had its fair share of critics nitpicking its time travel logic, but no one can deny that what this film lacks in scientific accuracy it makes up for in the leads' chemistry.

Whereas "Anyone But You" sees a fairly trope-y romance story complicated by Shakespearean farce and relatable misunderstandings, "About Time" takes a similar approach by showing how a seemingly-simplistic relationship dynamic can be affected by a light sci-fi premise in place of a more realistic conflict. As far as romantic meet-cutes go, it's hard to beat the subversion of Gleeson and McAdams' typical Hollywood love story, which even the seasoned romance actress McAdams had a unique experience shooting. If you're looking for something a little more moving but still with a ton of laughs and sparks flying after watching "Anyone But You," "About Time" will show up... just in time.

"Anyone But You" may draw comparisons to the screwball comedies of cinema's past, but those are few and far between these days. That's why it's so refreshing to find a sincere comedy about romance, especially one directed by an iconic director such as Peter Bogdanovich. Released in 2014, "She's Funny That Way" features an ensemble cast of comedy greats like Owen Wilson, Kathryn Hahn, and Jennifer Aniston, but the heart of the film is Imogen Poots, who plays Izzy, a call girl hired by a Broadway director (Wilson) to pursue her dreams as an actress. 

While it may be less centered on a romance than "Anyone But You," "She's Funny That Way" has a similar sense of humor to Will Gluck's 2023 film, with NPR writing in their review, "it's a sweetly nostalgic trifle, especially if you're fond of classic screwball complete with overlapping quippage delivered at breakneck speed." Given that the legendary Bogdanovich died in 2022, it might be worthwhile for cinephiles and fans of "Anyone But You" to take a trip down memory lane through the director's filmography, starting with this funny and heartfelt film. 

In case you didn't know, "Anyone But You" is not Glen Powell's first foray into romantic-comedy. Back in 2018, Powell starred opposite Zoey Deutch in Netflix's "Set It Up," where the duo play overworked assistants who team up to pair up their workaholic bosses, only to discover an attraction to each other in the process. As The Hollywood Reporter wrote, the film "is so jam-packed with jokes that the hilarity of the characters' banter — especially between the motor-mouthed Deutch and the eye-rolling Powell — will get you on a romantic high." As we see it, "Set It Up" is the definition of a rewatchable movie.

It's no surprise that the real stars aligning for this film wasn't between the characters played by Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs, but by Glen Powell and future movie stardom. If you have any desire to keep watching Powell's movies (and how could you not after looking at him), this is probably the closest film in terms of tone to start with after watching "Anyone But You." That being said, seeing the chemistry between Powell and Deutch in "Set It Up" might change your opinion on how good Powell and Sweeney's chemistry was in the first place. 

This 2019 rom-com from Jeff Chan and Andrew Rhymer will feel familiar to fans of "Anyone But You" as a good, old-fashioned love story set at a wedding. But where "Plus One" differs from the others is that this film features multiple weddings. Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine star as Ben and Alice, two recently-heartbroken friends from college who agree to be each other's plus ones during wedding season. As you can expect, their companionship evolves into a real romance, which creates strife for their friendship.

In /Film's own review from Tribeca Film Festival, we lauded "Plus One" as a worthy successor to similar enemies-to-lovers rom-coms like "When Harry Met Sally," writing, "It sincerely plays out the budding romance between Alice and Ben, letting Erskine and Quaid's steamy chemistry speak for itself. Where most indie rom-coms try to undercut these pivotal elements, Plus One lets you fall in love with the characters as they fall in love." If you especially loved the banter between Ben and Bea in "Anyone But You," "Plus One" has exactly the type of movie you're looking to watch next. 

On the surface, "Palm Springs" might sound like a typical rom-com: Two strangers meet at a chaotic resort wedding and fall in love. However, there's a lot more to this film than just a love story. Taking after films like "Groundhog Day," "Palm Springs" stars Cristin Milioti as Sarah, whose drunken hookup with Nyles (Andy Samberg) at her sister's wedding takes a turn for the worse when she inadvertently enters a time loop that Nyles has also been stuck in for god-knows-how-long, leading the two to literally spend eternity repeating the same events over and over. 

Compared to other rom-coms set at weddings like "Anyone But You," "Palm Springs" takes the rom-com genre to a whole new level with its added sci-fi elements and the type of humor you'd expect from The Lonely Island's filmmaking style. As if that's not enough reason to watch it, it also features J.K. Simmons in one of his funniest roles, as well as Camilla Mendes and Meredith Hagner as stand-out supporting castmates. The film was especially prescient during its streaming release in 2020, but whether it's a global pandemic or just a rainy day, "Palm Springs" is a perfect movie to rewatch again and again and again from the comfort of your home. 

Alison Brie has done her fair share of typical rom-coms, like "Sleeping with Other People" and "How to Be Single." However, 2023's "Somebody I Used To Know" might be a good palate cleanser for audience members who felt the love story at the center of "Anyone But You" was a bit too safe and predictable. Co-written by Brie and her husband Dave Franco (who also directs), Brie stars as Ally, a reality TV producer who returns to her hometown after a cancelled show to discover that her "one that got away" (Jay Ellis) is getting married, causing Ally to start questioning the choices she made and attempt to re-enter his life.

Obviously, it has a lot of similarities to "Anyone But You" by virtue of being set at a wedding, but this film takes a different direction than fans of that rom-com may expect. Be warned, it's got a lot of cringy moments that may be hard for some viewers to watch if you're susceptible to second-hand embarrassment, but on the plus side, it also features a long-overdue on-screen reunion between Brie and her former "Community" co-star Danny Pudi. If their chemistry proves anything, it's that this film is just teasing what we want to see in the "Community" movie. 

The sex comedy has been a dying art form, having once ruled the box office with films like "American Pie" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." Imagine the surprise when the actor to come along and revive it would be none other than Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence, who gives an outstanding comedic performance in the 2023 film "No Hard Feelings." While it's not as much of a rom-com as "Anyone But You," this film's raunchy sense of humor will strike a home run with many comedy fans. 

"No Hard Feelings" stars Lawrence as Maddie, a financially-struggling woman who accepts a CraigsList offer to "date" the socially-awkward son (Andrew Barth Feldman) of two wealthy parents (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti). As you can expect, seeing this film in theaters when it came out was an experience at-home viewers will envy, just based on how laugh-out-loud funny it is to see Maddie try to woo the un-woo-able. Between "No Hard Feelings" and "Anyone But You," Hollywood may have hope after all for the theatrical comedy genre.

Fortunately, the success of "Anyone But You" has shown Hollywood that audiences are craving endearing rom-coms, which Max provides with 2024's "Sweethearts." Starring Kiernan Shipka and Nico Hiraga, "Sweethearts" follows a pair of college friends who agree to end their long-term relationships with high school sweethearts one night, resulting in a comedy of errors that even Shakespeare would envy. Its supporting cast, which includes "Severance" breakout Tramell Tillman and comedian Caleb Hearon, helps to amplify this fresh take on the friends-to-lovers trope. 

It's a movie that feels as indebted to romantic-comedy's past as it is paving a new road for the genre, blending sincerity and salaciousness, or as The Guardian put it, "'Sweethearts' thankfully avoids full predictability –- a welcome relief, particularly in a film that embraces the rampant horniness of 18-year-olds." It's a shame "Sweethearts" is only relegated to a streaming-only release, but given that it's set on the night before Thanksgiving, it could become a future staple of holiday-season watch parties.