It’s best not to overthink the details of No Hard Feelings, an uproarious comedy that benefits from the lead actors’ physicality. It’s meant to be enjoyed as it happens, at the moment, with Lawrence lighting up every scene with full-bodied commitment and Feldman, a worthy co-lead, delighting at every turn. They’re playing stock characters, and the script doesn’t give much beyond the usual backstories, but Lawrence and Feldman play them with so much heart and gusto, knocking every scene they’re in out of the park. Everything else plays second fiddle to their two-hander show. The cameos are star-studded but forgettable (except for Kyle Mooney, who I wished was onscreen more as Percy’s male nanny), the character development is heartwarming but predictable, and though it bills itself as a sex comedy, the film never really touches past third base. But all that is water under the bridge when you’re watching Maddie and Percy flirt and fumble their way through the film.
"For all its breeziness, No Hard Feelings stays with you because its central dynamic feels so surprisingly honest."
— Bilge Ebiri
On the brink of losing her childhood home, Maddie discovers an intriguing job listing: wealthy helicopter parents looking for someone to “date” their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy, before he leaves for college. To her surprise, Maddie soon discovers the awkward Percy is no sure thing.
To retain her childhood home, Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence) accepts an ad that requires her to befriend a wealthy but awkward high school senior, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman).
Jennifer Lawrence is made for comedy. I can’t believe she hasn’t done a lot of this in the past and I have to believe she’s making more in the future. Her enjoyment in playing a comedic role isn’t just palpable, it’s downright contagious. You don’t often get an a-lister this committed to making a silly bit or ridiculous gag work, so it doesn’t feel like a stretch to call Lawrence a gem among her peers.
I love how this movie feels like it was fished straight out of the 2000s.
