‘No Hard Feelings’ Review – Jennifer Lawrence Brings The Laughs

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.

The R-rated raunchy studio comedy is one that Hollywood has seemed less keen on making recently, with just the occasional effort here or there managing to bring some much-needed laughs. No Hard Feelings has the undeniable star power of Jennifer Lawrence to prove that this type of movie still has some merit left in it — even when the formula wears a bit thin.

Helmed by Good Boys director Gene Stupnitsky, No Hard Feelings follows Maddie (Lawrence) as she struggles to make ends meet to save her childhood home in Montauk, New York. After reluctantly agreeing to a job listing from a couple looking for someone to “date” their 19-year-old son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), Maddie forms an unexpected friendship with him that upends her entire life. As expected, various shenanigans pose challenges along the way as Maddie tries to break Percy out of his shell before he goes off to college.

If for nothing else, the main draw here is obviously Lawrence. And to the surprise of no one, she absolutely delivers in a manner that only a true movie star could. She brings every line reading, outrageous comedic set-piece and emotional beat to another level, oftentimes even beyond the dialogue she’s given. Right from the beginning, Lawrence dedicates to bringing Maddie to life through all of her flaws, clearly establishing what kind of person she is; as a result, making her an engaging protagonist for the audience.

But that’s not to discount the clear talent that Feldman also brings to the table as the shy and socially reserved Percy, serving as a foil to Maddie’s outgoing and eccentric personality. Feldman’s past experience and training on Broadway serves him well here, especially in a show-stopping rendition of Daryl Hall & John Oates’s “Maneater” that brings the film to an unexpectedly bittersweet place. Together, Feldman and Lawrence play off each other effortlessly.

Stupnitsky and John Phillips wrote the script, the highlight of which is easily the frequent belly-laugh moments. Although there are certainly some moments that don’t land, most of the swings are hits. Stupnitsky and Phillips’ script plays to the natural awkwardness of crucial scenes while also managing to genuinely surprise the audience at many turns.

The filmmaking itself is fairly ordinary and nothing remarkable. It allows for humorous moments to land while missing the opportunity to utilize editing more to emphasize the awkwardness and crudeness of certain moments. No Hard Feelings isn’t the kind of film that needs great technical craft to work, but more creative filmmaking definitely could’ve helped elevate it to another level.

Unfortunately, it becomes apparent to watch how the story is held back by the built-in structure for these kinds of studio comedies. The emotional realizations feel forced and somehow simultaneously overlooked by the writers. Maddie’s backstory with her family life and Percy’s situation with controlling helicopter parents are brought up but never explored as much — or with enough nuance — as they should be. The focus often turns back to the expected situational comedy after we get brief insights into the people Maddie and Percy really are. By comparison, the best kinds of comedies (see Bridesmaids, for example) intertwine comedy and drama more closely together for greater impact.

So while the flaws are not difficult to see, the film still manages to be fairly entertaining and enjoyable to watch. With the current line-up of films in theaters, No Hard Feelings is admittedly not even the best raunchy comedy out in theaters: the uproariously hilarious Joy Ride also recently hit theaters (and sadly isn’t doing as well at the box office in comparison). For audiences simply looking for a good laugh and an enjoyable time at the movies, No Hard Feelings certainly isn’t a bad bet. Just don’t set your expectations too high.

No Hard Feelings is currently playing in theaters courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P15S6ND8kbQ]