This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.
Maddie thinks she’s found the answer to her financial troubles when she discovers an intriguing job listing: wealthy helicopter parents looking for someone to “date” their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy, and bring him out of his shell before he leaves for college. But awkward Percy proves to be a real challenge, and time is running out. She has one summer to make him a man or lose it all.
For in-depth thoughts on No Hard Feelings, please see my colleague Matt Minton’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings No Hard Feelings to Blu-Ray with a spectacular 1080p video presentation that impresses throughout. The image is crisp and clear with a robust, natural color palette radiating off the screen. The film injects some bold splashes of colors within the clothing, production design and setting which never fails to dazzle. Black levels are stable with no obvious instances of digital noise or crush, and highlights are likewise firm with no blooming at play.Â
The presentation allows for a substantial amount of depth on display both in the interior shots and when out in the open air. The production design along with the fabrics of clothing provide welcome textural details. The flesh tones remain natural with a fine amount of detail present in close-ups, especially when it comes to the texture of makeup. This Blu-Ray maintains the top tier quality you expect from Sony.Â
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a very good DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that accurately realizes the sonic ambitions of the story. Dialogue never fails to come through flawlessly without being overshadowed by any competing sounds. There are some surprisingly kinetic moments that engage the surround speakers in a really effective manner. When the characters are walking through a house party, there are some really nice ambient details that flesh out the setting. The film provides a lively soundtrack in which every song radiates from the speakers in a full, well-balanced way. The low end of the track digs deep when it needs to. The audio track is an awesome presentation for this feature in all respects. There are an array of optional subtitles provided including English, English SDH, French, Spanish and more.Â
Special Features
- Outtakes & Bloopers: A four-minute selection of flubbed lines, laughing fits, ruined takes and more.Â
- A Motley Crew – Meet The Characters: A seven-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the facets and dynamics of the characters, the performers playing them and more.Â
- A Little Wrong – Making No Hard Feelings: A six-minute piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the fun of making an R-rated comedy, the atmosphere on set, the direction from Gene Stupnitsky and more.Â
- Previews: There are trailers provided for Bullet Train, The Machine and Love Again.Â
Â
Final Thoughts
No Hard Feelings is the type of star-driven studio comedy that we want more of these days. These used to not be such a rarity, but comedy has become more of the domain of streaming platforms, and with this switch has come diminishing quality. Jennifer Lawrence reminds us why we fell in love with her as she follows up an impeccable turn in Causeway with this outrageous, hilarious character. Andrew Barth Feldman holds his own and proves to be a dynamic screen partner for Lawrence to bounce off of, and occasionally he even steals the movie away from her. There are some minor issues with the script, but the film keeps us laughing so consistently that we can largely overlook them. Sony Pictures has provided a Blu-Ray disc that sports a great A/V presentation and a few brief supplements for those who do decide to check it out. If you need a good laugh, be sure to seek this one out. Recommended
No Hard Feelings is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.Â
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.