10 Movies to Watch if You Like Anyone But You

Romantic comedies sit in a weird space in the cinema world. The genre has millions of dedicated fans ready for the next couple they’re going to fall in love with and excited to see which tropes the rom-com will employ. Friends to lovers? Only one bed? Love triangles? Despite this, not too many rom-coms lately have gotten theatrical releases, which is why Anyone But You captured a lot of attention.

This new entry into this space stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell as two individuals who had a hookup that ended badly, but then end up as guests at the same wedding. They clash, but for personal reasons agree to fake-date during the trip. Maybe, just maybe, those pretend feelings start to turn real. Taking loose inspiration from William Shakespeare’s play Much Ado About Nothing, many viewers enjoyed this lighthearted film. If you’re one of them, here are 10 other films you’ll swoon over.

10 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)

Relationships will go a lot smoother if both parties come into it with the right intentions. Such is not the case in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Andie (Kate Hudson) writes for a magazine and isn’t fulfilled with the subjects she has to write about, which mostly consists of frivolous “how to’s.” Her latest article idea (see: film title), however, invigorates her more than past work. Ben (Matthew McConaughey) is an advertising executive holding out for a diamond campaign, but his boss doesn’t think he has the romantic sensibilities necessary. So, Ben bets he can get a woman to fall in love with him in just 10 days.

Love (Not) at First Sight

Characters who desperately want something are the basis for any great story. Here, Andie and Ben’s motivations are clear and in direct conflict with each other. This is a recipe for so much great tension and drama. In this film and Anyone But You, the couple doesn’t fall head over heels right away. More of a slow-burn romance, there are bumps along the way and ulterior motives for getting close. It’s rewarding to see both Andie and Ben’s collective walls lower as they get to know each other and the eventual happy ending we know is coming is well worth it. Stream on Paramount+

9 Ibiza (2018)

Ibiza follows a woman named Harper (Gillian Jacobs), who doesn’t love her job at a PR firm in New York. She’s given an assignment to head to sunny Barcelona and her two friends decide to tag along. While partying at a club, she becomes infatuated with a DJ named Leo (Richard Madden). The two don’t have much time to connect, as he has to head to Ibiza for work. After some good-natured peer pressure, Harper decides to hop on a flight and see where the spark she felt between her and Leo may land.

A Much-Needed City Break

Plenty of hardcore rom-com fans get serious fatigue from more films set in New York or another big city. Part of the fun in Anyone But You is the escapades the two get up to while hiking or on the beach. Here, the Spanish setting is equally appealing and a nice switch-up from the standard rom-com playbook. There’s a lot more emphasis in Ibiza on friendship, but there are plenty of saccharine moments between Harper and Leo to satisfy viewers’ sweet tooth. Stream on Netflix

8 Much Ado About Nothing (2012)

As the title suggests, Much Ado About Nothing is a film based on the Shakespeare play of the same name. The story centers on a group of men who return home after a war has ended. Claudio falls for a woman named Hero, the governor’s daughter. While their bond deepens, Claudio’s friend Benedick has a rougher experience with his new acquaintance, Beatrice. The union between Claudio and Hero can lead to undesirable consequences for a man named Don Juan, whose mission is to sabotage these relationships.

A Stronger Adaptation of Shakespeare’s Play

Anyone But You is a much looser adaptation of the Shakespeare play. Meanwhile, Much Ado About Nothing stays pretty true to the source material, and it can be nice to spot the similarities between the plot and characters. While the filmmaker modernized the setting to make it more palatable for a modern-day audience, it still has a vintage quality to it. Not only due to the dialogue, but even the acting style and it being shot in black-and-white contribute to the overall feel. Stream on Freevee

7 Set It Up (2018)

For viewers who love New York City as a backdrop, Set It Up is perfect. Harper and Charlie have a couple of things in common. They work in the same building and have tyrannical bosses (Lucy Liu and Tye Diggs), whom they need a breather from. Thinking romance could be the answer to their problems, the two decide to set their bosses up together. Using the playbook of many great rom-coms, they do everything from planning the perfect “meet cute” to encouraging their first kiss. Things seem to look up, but will it last once the honeymoon period is over?

More Powell, Please!

Glen Powell stars in both Anyone But You and Set It Up, so viewers who wanted more of him won’t be disappointed. His chemistry with Sweeney wasn’t a one-off, as, here, he and Zoey Deutch (Harper) bounce off each other wonderfully. Here, there’s more than one love story to get invested in, with the bosses and the assistants. Both provide humor, squeal-worthy moments, and scenes where you can’t help but cringe. Sounds like the perfect rom-com recipe. Stream on Netflix

Related: Glen Powell: Getting the Credit He Deserves

6 The Wedding Singer (1998)

Robbie Hart (Adam Sandler) is a wedding singer who is about to marry his fiancé. While working, he meets a waitress, Julia (Drew Barrymore), who is loosely engaged to her boyfriend, who won’t commit to a date. Robbie is left heartbroken and humiliated when he’s deserted at the altar, especially when his fiancé claims it’s partly due to his career. Down in the dumps, Julia asks Robbie to help her plan her wedding. As the two become closer, Robbie discovers Julia’s fiancé is not faithful and has to decide if he should give love another try.

“I Do” Want More Wedding Rom-Coms

While the protagonists aren’t in relationships in Anyone But You, there are people from their past that complicate their present dating life. If that aspect strikes a chord with you,The Wedding Singercould be a nice companion on a long movie marathon day. Robbie and Julia have very real obstacles keeping them apart, both in the form of actual people and their mental hangups. The movie doesn’t take itself too seriously and isn’t aiming to be profound, just a lot of fun. Rent on Apple TV

5 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

The students at Padua High School in 10 Things I Hate About You have a lot going on. Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levit) is the new kid, and while trying to find his footing, falls for Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik). The problem? She doesn’t really know he exists, every guy in school likes her, and her dad won’t allow her to date. Not to worry, his new friend (Heath Legder) has a plan once they hear that Bianca can date if her antisocial sister Kat (Julia Stiles) does. All they have to do is get the intimidating outcast Patrick to get Kat to shed her prickly outer layer.

Another Shakespeare Adaptation

There are many threads and character relationships to follow in 10 Things I Hate About You. Cameron and Bianca. Patrick and Kat. Joey (a popular jerk bribing Patrick) and Bianca. Joey and Kat. Not to mention the friendships and sibling rivalries present. This film has a notably younger feel to it since the characters are in high school. But like Anyone But You, it’s based on a Shakespearean comedy and given a modern twist. This slow-burn romance will have viewers hooked from each couple’s first rocky interaction. Stream on Disney+

Related: 10 Movies That Will Make You Believe in Love Again

4 27 Dresses (2008)

“Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” Jane Nichols’ (Katherine Heigl) life in 27 Dresses encapsulates that old adage a bit too well. She’s been a bridesmaid 27 times and is constantly surrounded by love, just never in love. She has a crush on her boss, but even that ends badly when he ends up dating and proposing to her younger sister. To make matters worse, she’s asked to plan it. But perhaps the handsome man she met at a wedding, Kevin (played by James Marsden), can place love in her line of sight rather than the periphery. But with his cynical view of love and marriage, even that seems like a long shot.

Flawed and Charming Characters

Sweet, romantic characters are nice to get to know. But with rom-coms, we already know we’re promised loving scenes and thoughtful gestures. So, it’s nice to shake things up with characters who either don’t believe in love at all or don’t believe love is in the cards for them. They become better people because of each other, but they don’t start with a blank slate. As in Anyone But You, each comes with their own baggage and perception of the world and themselves. They are flawed and charming individuals who challenge each other in the best ways. Stream on Hulu

3 The Hating Game

Based on a novel by Sally Thorne, The Hating Game centers on Lucy (Lucy Hale) and Josh (Austin Stowell), two employees of a publishing company. Their personal and professional differences resulted in a great deal of animosity at work. They never shy away from an opportunity to get under each other’s skin (and later, each other’s clothes). When their job announces a promotion is up for grabs, it serves as the ultimate test of who is superior. To make things more interesting, they place a bet. Whoever doesn’t get the job has to quit. Let the games begin.

All Fun and Games

For those who wanted the prickliness between the two leads in Anyone But You dialed up a few notches, The Hating Game delivers. The banter between Lucy and Josh is just the right mixture of corny, sassy, and hilarious to make every scene a delight. Sure, there’s nothing boundary-breaking about the film, but part of the allure of romance films is knowing what to expect. Additionally, this funny workplace romance has heaps of office drama and interesting side characters that make the insular setting feel large. Stream on Hulu

2 The Proposal (2009)

Rom-coms love characters who work in the publishing or magazine world, and The Proposal is no different. Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is the executive editor-in-chief of her company based in New York, though she’s from Canada. She’s known for being uptight and not the nicest towards her employees, such as her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds). But when her visa application is denied, and she is about to be deported, she can’t think of another solution than to claim she and Andrew are getting hitched. To keep up with the lie and avoid fraud charges, she accompanies him to visit family in his hometown in Alaska.

The Fake Dating Trope at Its Funniest

Fake dating is a common trope for a reason. The discomfort the characters feel when they have to pretend they’re in love is simultaneously cringe-inducing and hilarious. From the moment Margaret declares them engaged, it’s awkward and tense. Viewers will have a blast watching as the two unlearn the power dynamic and roles they fall into at work. Every scene, we witness Margaret and Andrew growing closer to one another, and with the added pressure of deportation and criminal charges, it gives higher stakes to the story. Stream on Hulu

1 Friends with Benefits (2011)

Jamie (Mila Kunis) works as a recruiter in Manhattan, and her next prospect is an art director from L.A. named Dylan (Justin Timberlake). After a fun night in the city that never sleeps, Dylan agrees to accept the job. In a new city, Dylan is thankful for the friendship he’s developing with Jamie. One night, they begin discussing the benefits of sex without commitment or feelings. Since they’re on the same page, they agree to have a sexual relationship, no strings attached. That arrangement surely won’t have any complications. Right?

A Special Kind of Slow-Burn

We love seeing our favorite celebs catching feelings for one another. In Anyone But You, it’s Sweeney and Powell. In Friends with Benefits, it’s Kunis and Timberlake. But viewers also get to see appearances from Woody Harrelson, Patricia Clarkson, Emma Stone, and even Shaun White. Instead of waiting until the halfway point to see the leads kiss for the first time, Jamie and Dylan get at it right away. This film takes time with the emotional connection rather than the physical one. Rent on Apple TV