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No Hard Feelings is the latest film from director Gene Stupnitsky (Good Boys, The Office).
The R-rated comedy follows Jennifer Lawrence (Maddie), an immature 32-year-old Montauk townie with a fear of commitment. Struggling to pay bills and needing a car, she stumbles across a Craigslist ad that offers a Buick in return for dating a socially anxious and sheltered high schooler, Percy, played by newcomer Andrew Barth Feldman. Through after-hours skinny-dips, almost deadly car chases, and fake proms, Maddie learns to commit, and Percy breaks out of his shell.
No Hard Feelings is Jennifer Lawrence’s first venture into comedy. Her deadpan delivery and physical comedy are impressive and often hilarious. One of the most comedic scenes takes place at a house party. Maddie (Jennifer) breaks into a bedroom to stop Percy (Andrew) from sleeping with a classmate. Eventually, the homeowners come to reprimand her for the chaos she’s created. Percy attempts to defend her but in doing so ends up delivering a punch to Maddie’s jugular, sending her into a shelf-destroying fit as she attempts to get her breath back.
Although this is one of Andrew’s first ventures into feature film, he is quite the established stage actor making his 2019 Broadway debut as Evan in Dear Evan Hansen. He gets a chance to flex his musicality with a piano rendition of Daryl Hall and John Oates’ “Maneater” during a fancy dinner date.
In addition to Jennifer and Andrew, the film also boasts an impressive cast which includes Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti, Natalie Morales, Scott MacArthur, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Hasan Minhaj.
One thing the film does well is bringing storylines full circle. The audience sees this not only with Percy’s “Maneater” performance but with the end-of-film adoption of a cocaine-addicted dog that is mentioned within the first 15 minutes of the movie.
With all this being said, there is a but. The premise of the film is problematic. The idea of a 32-year-old courting a 19-year-old with the sole goal of taking his virginity is questionable and a bit concerning. When Maddie’s advances are rejected by Percy, especially at the beginning of the film, she becomes very angry because it prevents her from getting the car, sending a not so great message.
The film also ends with her moving across the country together with Percy as he goes to study at Princeton, and she finally escapes Montauk. Although their growth is admirable, the idea of both of them continuing to pursue the relationship that seriously is unsettling.
Although the age difference romance has been played out before in many movies including the 1983 film Risky Business, this depiction, although plausible, felt creepy. Perhaps it was the idea that someone’s virginity could be bought with a Buick.
Premise aside, this film won’t go down in comedy history but is a light, wait-for-streaming watch for when you need a few good laughs.