“Anyone But You” was released Dec. 22, 2023 and has become one of the top movies in the US today. The popularity from this movie spread over social media quickly and has started some trends on the internet. The movie is seen as a typical “true love” film, but what makes it different from other films?

Some people may not believe the movie represented “true love” or just did a poor job of showing it. However, sophomore Molly Dell disagreed saying, “Yes.”

 Dell, also agreed that the actors have to contribute to the popularity. “I think the movie is getting such popularity because the actors are already really popular,” Dell said. I would also agree with Dell’s statement based on my own familiarity with the actors.

The two main actors in this movie are Sydney Sweeney, who has appeared in Euphoria, and Glen Powell, who has starred in Top Gun. 

As mentioned, a few variety of trends have surfaced the media since the release. I first witnessed these trends on apps like Tik Tok and Instagram. What are these trends and does it affect your experience seeing the film?

One trend, that was popular, is having the ability to experience seeing the movie with a current love interest. 

I personally saw the movie with a group of my friends but junior Gabby Czajikowski saw the movie with her boyfriend. “Of course, it’s a great inspirational love story,” Czajikowski said. 

I usually enjoy watching those “cheesy” rom-com films where the ending is easy to predict. Although, my expectations for this movie weren’t so high due to the media adding stereotypical ideas as to who you should see the movie with. Once I saw the movie, I started to realize why this movie was trending but didn’t understand the whole trend concept. I saw the movie 3 times with different people each time and did not see the whole experience effect that TikTok created. 

Addison Hertzburg, a Junior at State High, shared her own expectations, “I expected the movie to be funny and good due to social media.” In responce to whether the filmed lived up to its popularity, Hertzburg also responded,“A hundred percent yes,” 

I think romance movies are supposed to bring you joy in watching others experience that romance in their lives. Although, I don’t think there really is a “true love” that should be represented in the media to make you think that’s how love should be portrayed. I think you should go see Anyone But You if you like a good romance movie but don’t feel as if social media knows how you should experience your own love.