People who are destined to be together – or even just those who might have some chemistry – don’t always meet at the right time and under the right circumstances. A chance encounter might not happen due to the slightest delay on one person’s part or something entirely beyond their control, and one or both of them may not be emotionally ready for a relationship and have their eyes and mind closed to meeting anyone when the time does come. Anyone But You presents a humorous scenario in which two people who could have been perfect for each other don’t end up clicking but are then forced to spend far too much time in close quarters.

Bea (Sydney Sweeney) meets Ben (Glen Powell) when, facing a long line at a café where she desperately needs to use the bathroom, he steps in to pretend that they’re married so that she can get the customers-only access code. A lovely night spent together leads to a lapse in communication the next morning when Bea leaves before Ben wakes up, only to return to hear him dismissing the encounter as less than lackluster. A few months later, Bea and Ben end up on the same flight to Australia, where they’ll spend a lengthy period trying hard to get along for the wedding of Bea’s sister Halle (Hadley Robinson) to Ben’s longtime friend Claudia (Alexandra Shipp).

Anyone But You is by no means the first entry in the enemies-to-lovers genre. That the two do click initially but then feel so sorely rejected by the other only fuels their mutual hatred, and it’s something that’s palpable right away from when Halle and Claudia reintroduce them. That’s what works best about this film, however, since the animosity that Bea and Ben feel is transformed into witty and aggressive barbs hurled back and forth before they decide that they’re sick of everyone trying to get them to get along and they’re just going to pretend to be together.

Sweeney and Powell are both rising stars who have done commendable work in the past few years. Sweeney earned double Emmy nominations for her very different turns on The White Lotus and Euphoria, and this role finds her playing someone considerably more in touch with who she is, even if Bea isn’t able to communicate how lost she feels going through law school to anyone but Ben on that fateful first night. Powell, who took to the skies in last year’s double feature of Top Gun: Maverick and Devotion, turns that charm into something very well suited for this fare as the seemingly confident but ultimately more complicated Ben.

Sweeney and Powell lead a great cast that includes a handful of standouts that make this viewing experience all the more pleasant. Shipp and Robinson are a delight and enhance their wedding storyline that could easily just serve as a setup for this film’s supporting romantic premise. As Claudia’s parents, Michelle Hurd and Bryan Brown convey the relaxed attitude that has not at all shaped their daughter, while Dermot Mulroney and Rachel Griffiths add considerably more angst as Halle’s parents, whose demeanor much more closely resembles Claudia’s than Halle’s. As Ben’s best friend and Claudia’s brother Pete, GaTa is clearly having a good time, and Charlee Fraser helps to add some worthwhile drama as Pete and Claudia’s cousin Margaret, who just so happens to be Ben’s ex.

This film, like most romantic comedies released around the end-of-year holidays, isn’t a resounding or triumphant home run. But it does accomplish just what it sets out to do, which is to provide sincere entertainment and to make the most of its two great leads. It’s at its funniest when it leans into the inappropriate, embracing its R rating, and while its eventual romantic turns are enjoyable, the edgy comedy is what makes it most memorable. This destination wedding should serve as a welcome holiday treat and distraction for most audiences who know what to expect.

Grade: B

Check out more of Abe Friedtanzer’s articles.

Anyone But You is now playing in theaters.