10 Movies Like Anyone But You

"Anyone But You" was a runaway theatrical hit thanks to great word of mouth about the movie through social media. Audiences posted TikTok videos of themselves dancing to Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten," one of the character's serenity songs, and discussing the grilled cheese scene, causing many to flock to the theaters to see the romantic comedy. The interest made "Anyone But You" a box office success, bringing in $220 million against an estimated $25 million budget.

Starring Sydney Sweeney as Bea and Glen Powell as Ben, the two portray characters who, despite having an amazing first date, end up hating each other due to misunderstandings the next morning. Over the years, they continue to encounter one another through their friend groups, but only really interact when Bea's sister gets married. Both are in the wedding party and, to get everyone off their backs, they decide to pretend they're dating.

"Anyone But You" isn't the first rom-com to implement the fake dating trope, but it resonated with audiences enough to result in an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes's Popcornmeter. There are plenty of other films that fans of the Sweeney and Powell-led movie are sure to enjoy. From a young McDreamy as a teen interested in astronomy to wedding goers stuck in a time loop, here are 10 movies like "Anyone But You" to add to the watchlist.

"10 Things I Hate About You," a 1999 rom-com classic, follows Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a new student desperately hoping to score a date with Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), a popular girl. However, Bianca isn't allowed to date until her sister Kat (Julia Stiles) does. The only problem is that no one is interested in Kat because of her outspoken nature (nor is Kat particularly interested in dating, either). Cameron seeks out Patrick (Heath Ledger), a guy at school with a bad boy reputation, to woo Kat. What Patrick doesn't realize is that the more time he spends with Kat, the more he grows to like her.

While the story focuses on Cameron's efforts to win Bianca's heart, Kat and Patrick's relationship takes up a significant portion of the plot and is key to Cameron's success. Without them, Bianca doesn't end up with Cameron, and Kat's father doesn't realize his oldest daughter can hold her own. Much like Bea, Kat's father is a bit meddlesome in her life, but eventually pulls back so Kat can attend college at Sarah Lawrence in the fall.

"10 Things I Hate About You" is a great movie for "Anyone But You" fans. Both are based on Shakespearean plays, and each presents an enemies-to-lovers story that is rooted in a fake relationship. Bea and Kat experience feelings of betrayal — even though Kat's happens in the third act — and they have similar attitudes when it comes to making their own life decisions.

• Starring: Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Larry Miller
• Director: Gil Junger
• Year: 1999
• Runtime: 1h 37m
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%

What happens after two wedding guests end up in a cave in the middle of the desert? Nyle (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Cristin Milioti) find out when they wander off from Sarah's half-sister's wedding to have a sexual encounter. Someone shoots Nyles with an arrow, causing him and Sarah to be pulled into a cave vortex. When they wake up the next morning, they realize they're repeating the day of the wedding with no end in sight.

The two try to find a way out, but it isn't without plenty of dead ends. Roy (J. K. Simmons), the individual who shot Nyle, is also stuck in the loop and rather than try to get out, he regularly chases after Nyle for sport. Before using explosives as a method to return to the present, Sarah and Nyle have a falling out. Nyle is lying about how he spends his time in the loop, causing Sarah to not trust him anymore. It's reminiscent of why Bea and Ben hate each other after their first date.

"Palm Springs" takes falling in love at a wedding to a new level because of the time loop. Those who love the humor of "Anyone But You" will enjoy all the ways Nyles and Sarah try to break the loop. While their relationship isn't fake, Sarah and Nyles have similar struggles, especially because of Nyles's lies, and they only come together because of the wedding.

• Starring: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J. K. Simmons
• Director: Max Barbakow
• Year: 2020
• Runtime: 1h 30m
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

When Eva's (Gabrielle Union) sisters want her to stop being overly involved in their relationships — something that is a residual effect of raising them after their parents died — their boyfriends hire their old friend Ray (LL Cool J) to distract Eva. The first date doesn't go well, but things turn around as they continue to see each other.

However, the sisters' boyfriends end up regretting their decision when the ladies compare their relationships to what Eva is building with Ray. When it looks like she could choose Ray over a move to Chicago, they leap into action to ensure they won't be compared to the couple. The men decide to utilize a drastic and rash option to solve their problem: Kidnap Ray and tell Eva he's dead. They even have a funeral for him to sell the bit, only for Ray to crash the event. As Eva learns the truth, both about the fake death and relationship, she breaks up with Ray. The two reconnect after her move to Chicago.

"Anyone But You" and "Deliver Us From Eva" are both Shakespearean retellings. The two movies also saw similarly low critics scores but higher, more positive audiences scores. In 2003, Gabrielle Union was huge, having starred in classic teen movies like "Bring It On," "She's All That," and "10 Things I Hate About You," giving "Deliver Us From Eva" a similar appeal to "Anyone But You" with a popular female lead.

• Starring: LL Cool J, Gabrielle Union, Duane Martin, Essence Atkins, Robinne Lee, Meagan Good
• Director: Gary Hardwick
• Year: 2003
• Runtime: 1h 41m
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 43%

"Which Brings Me to You" follows Jane (Lucy Hale) and Will (Nat Wolff), two individuals who meet at a wedding. Jane notices as Will sneaks in late, and the two almost hook up in a closet. When Will wants to talk instead, the afternoon and evening turns into the two going to a diner and the beach, sharing stories of failed relationships and sexual encounters.

As they learn more about each other, they become more emotionally invested. Jane and Will share some of their lowest points with each other, including when Jane's high school boyfriend's father died and when Will started skipping his college classes to be with an older woman he later ghosted. When it looks like Will lies about being in a significant relationship after she poured her heart out about her failed engagement, Jane runs away, only for them to come back together several hours later.

"Anyone But You" and "Which Brings Me to You" share the premise of falling in love with someone at a wedding. Like Bea, Jane recently ended an engagement and has been focusing on herself. Jane and Will aren't fake dating, but the event causes them to connect when they might not have even met otherwise. If it weren't for her sister's wedding, Bea and Ben may not have worked through their miscommunications and started their relationship.

• Starring: Lucy Hale, Nat Wolff, Britne Oldford, Genevieve Angelson, Alexander Hodge, John Gallagher Jr.
• Director: Peter Hutchings
• Year: 2023
• Runtime: 1h 38m
• Rating: N/A
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%

Harper (Zoey Deutch) and Charlie (Glen Powell) are assistants to two high-powered individuals who work in the same building. After the realization that getting their bosses together could result in a better work-life balance for them, they start strategically setting them up until the two are dating. It means Charlie has more time to spend with his girlfriend and Harper can actually pursue a romantic life in her free time.

"Set It Up" doesn't take place at a wedding or have a fake relationship between the main characters. However, watching two assistants try to coordinate the schedules of their bosses to push them into one is a great watch, hitting on similar comedic themes as "Anyone But You." Much like the Bea's parents try to do with her and her ex-fiancé, the bosses instigate a set-up for Charlie and Harper, and theirs is more successful. The Netflix movie is also a great option for those who want to see Glen Powell in another top-tier rom-com.

Audiences loved the grilled cheese scene in "Anyone But You," and "Set It Up" has something similar with its pizza scene. At the end of a night out, Harper and Charlie climb up a fire escape into Charlie's apartment with a pizza, eating it on the floor as they talk about anything and everything. Deutch may regret filming the scene, but it hits a similar beat in the narrative as "Anyone But You" and provides the perfect opportunity for the main characters to bond.

• Starring: Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Taye Diggs, Lucy Liu
• Director: Claire Scanlon
• Year: 2018
• Runtime: 1h 45m
• Rating: TV-14
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

Considered one of the best high school movies of all time, "Easy A" is a fantastic watch for audiences wanting with similar thrills to "Anyone But You." Olive, played by Emma Stone in one of her best performances, lies about her sexual history to help a friend out, causing everyone at school to think she is "easy" as the number of guys claiming to have been with her grows. She starts putting a red "A" on her clothing like "The Scarlet Letter" and embraces the comments and reputation. Though the narratives have different settings, Olive and Bea are both incredibly headstrong and determined characters.

"Anyone But You" fans should watch "Easy A" because it's from the same director, Will Gluck, and that shows in the feel of the movie. Part of the fun of "Anyone But You" was the popularization of the Natasha Bedingfield song "Unwritten," and "Easy A" does the same thing with the singer's song "Pocketful of Sunshine." It's a comfort song to Olive — though maybe not quite as much as "Unwritten" is for Ben. "Easy A" is the perfect way to start watching more of Gluck's filmography for those interested in his other rom-coms.

• Starring: Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson, Stanley Tucci
• Director: Will Gluck
• Year: 2010
• Runtime: 1h 33m
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

Andie (Kate Hudson) is writing an article on how to lose a guy just 10 days after you start dating them. Benjamin (Matthew McConaughey) is trying to prove he can handle an ad campaign for diamonds when he normally works on brands that resonate with men. Neither know that the other views their relationship as fake, or that they will develop very real feelings.

As part of her plan to "lose" Benjamin, Andie goes to extreme lengths to force him to break up with her, including ruining a Knicks game for him. Instead, the two go to couple's therapy and attend a work party together. But everything falls apart as they each discover they've been played. Just as Bea and Ben end on a bad note after a great first date, Andie and Benjamin also only hurt each other in their attempts to deflect their own disappointment at the perceived ending of the relationship. Ben and Bea are in agreement that their arrangement is strictly for personal gain. Andie and Benjamin are in the same boat — they just don't realize it isn't as one-sided as they intended.

• Starring: Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Adam Goldberg, Michael Michele, Shalom Harlow
• Director: Donald Petrie
• Year: 2003
• Runtime: 1h 56m
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 42%

"Can't Buy Me Love" features Patrick Dempsey as Ronald, a high school student saving money to buy a telescope. His popular classmate Cindy (Amanda Peterson) owes her mother money to replace a suede outfit she ruined at a party. So instead of buying a telescope, Ronald uses his savings to pay Cindy to go on dates with him to help his social standing at school, since she's well-liked and he's considered a nerd. It's a win-win for both — until their staged break up happens.

When the time comes for their fake relationship to end, Ronald is more hurtful than necessary as he "dumps" her in front of the school. On their final date, Cindy starts to have real feelings for Ronald, causing his words to hit harder than they otherwise would have. She continues to be upset while Ronald's popularity only grows. Everything culminates in her telling everyone that he paid her to date him at a New Years Eve party, causing his social status to plummet.

Like "Anyone But You," "Can't Buy Me Love" is a fake dating relationship that serves a purpose for both parties. The older film is also connected to a song in a significant way. While Ben's comfort song made a big splash with audiences, "Can't Buy Me Love" is named after The Beatles song of the same name, which plays as Ronald and Cindy reconnect at the end of the movie. 

• Starring: Patrick Dempsey, Amanda Peterson, Seth Green, Courtney Gains
• Director: Steve Rash
• Year: 1987
• Runtime: 1h 37m
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 50%

"The Hating Game" is a workplace romance, but coworkers Lucy (Lucy Hale) and Josh (Austin Stowell) have just as much anger and resentment between them as Bea and Ben do. When their initial meeting doesn't go well, the two become enemies as their bosses try to work together, despite having polar opposite views of how they should run their publishing company. The assistants support their respective bosses and often go out of their way to annoy the other; Lucy moves things on Josh's desk and Josh gives Lucy a nickname she loathes.

"Anyone But You" and "The Hating Game" are both enemies-to-lovers stories that feature one of the characters being there for the other in a fight against the family. They aren't fake dating, but Lucy is Josh's date to his brother's wedding — a wedding that was always going to be a bit awkward for him because the bride is his ex-girlfriend, who left him for his brother. Like Ben does for Bea, Lucy stands up to Josh's family regarding his life decisions when he chooses to break family tradition and not be a doctor. It's a huge turning point for the couple in both movies. "The Hating Game" may not be as well known as "Anyone But You," but it's just as enjoyable to watch.

• Starring: Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell, Damon Daunno, Sakina Jaffrey, Corbin Bernsen
• Director: Peter Hutchings
• Year: 2021
• Runtime: 1h 42m
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69%

"The Proposal" takes a fake relationship to a new level when Margaret (Sandra Bullock) and her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) enter a fraudulent marriage to secure her a green card so she isn't deported back to Canada. To sell it, the "couple" heads to Andrew's family home in Alaska — although "The Proposal" wasn't actually filmed there — to announce their engagement and spend time with his family. The two grow closer as Margaret learns more about Andrew's family and bonds with them during expedited wedding planning.

Though Margaret and Andrew have known each other for years in a professional capacity, and there is a clear power imbalance between them because she employs him, it isn't until they are at the family event they get to know each other. Much like Bea and Ben, they have preconceived notions about each other, and those only change when they have the time to dive into each other's personal lives outside of work.

Both "Anyone But You" and "The Proposal" feature great casts. Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney's chemistry matches Bullock and Reynolds's beat for beat, while the extended families in each movie provide fun supporting characters. 

• Starring: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Åkerman, Craig T. Nelson, Mary Steenburgen, Betty White
• Director: Anne Fletcher
• Year: 2009
• Runtime: 1h 48m
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 45%