No Hard Feelings

No Hard Feelings
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti
Directed by Gene Stupnisky

The R-rated raunchy comedy subgenre seemed to be on its way out of the cinemas after streaming made it easier for audiences to watch them at home. Those that did find their way to the big screen ended up as big disappointments, from "Good Boys" to "House Party" and "Bros," and it seemed that their days were numbered. Then along came "No Hard Feelings," a throwback to the R-rated comedies of the 80s that mix raunchy humor with heart, and with a hilarious lead performance by Jennifer Lawrence to boot, and you got a film that breathed a bit of new life into the dying subgenre.

Maddie Barker (Jennifer Lawrence) has lived in Montauk her entire life, and after the death of her mother she acquired her family home. Yet she's not doing well with her finances, and after losing her car she needed to find a way to get money to save her house. She finds an ad placed by wealthy couple Laird (Matthew Broderick) and Allison (Laura Benanti) Becker who are looking for a girl to break their nineteen-year-old son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) out of his shell before attending Princeton. Maddie answers the ad and, although she's in her early thirties, wins over the couple who want her to "date" their son without him knowing they hired her - and in return she'll get a new car.

At first Maddie thinks it'll be easy to seduce Percy, but she finds it more difficult due to his quiet, unassuming nature and his strong moral compass where he wants to get to know someone before doing the deed. As they spend more time together, Maddie actually develops feelings for Percy, and feels bad for what she's doing - but she needs the car so she can Uber again and save her family home.


The Good:
Jennifer Lawrence is an Oscar-winning actress who's mastered both the action and drama genres in films like "The Hunger Games," "Causeway," and "Winter's Bone," but hasn't really cracked the comedy genre with the exception of "American Hustle" and "Don't Look Up," but with "No Hard Feelings" she proves once again that she can transcend any genre. Her comedic timing is impeccable. Her delivery is exemplary. Her affluent charm oozes through her pores. She plays Maddie as the girl you want to be best friends with, because she's always a barrel of laughs. Lawrence proves that she's not afraid to tackle anything that comes her way, including a fully naked fight with some teens who steal her clothes. Her adventurous nature gives Maddie that special X-factor, and combining that with her dry wit and off-the-cuff humor, and she's a laugh riot.

Likewise newcomer Andrew Barth Feldman is as endearing as they come, a wealthy recluse teen who still has some old fashioned notions of romance (despite what his mother found on his computer), and who has a quiet demeanor that's naturally sweet. His foil against Jennifer Lawrence's Maddie is as opposite as day and night, and as they say opposites attract. Their rapport on screen is natural and easy, forming a couple you can root for and care about.

The addition of Matthew Broderick as the father is a nice nod to his classic 80s comedies, and proves that you either die Ferris Bueller or you live long enough to become his father.

While comedy is front and center, there's also a dramatic heart to the film as well. Maddie is doing this to save her home, but it could just be so she can savor the memories she had of her father before he left her, and linger in the pain of why he abandoned her. Percy is reclusive and has no friends, but because of a childhood trauma that made him socially awkward, afraid to open and be himself in front of others. These two wounded souls come together to heal, and in the process they both grow real feelings toward one another - which only stings all the more when the truth is discovered (this is an R-rated comedy, it's no spoiler to reveal that things fall through).


The Bad:
As it is with most comedies, the beats are predictable and easy to distinguish. When the parents tell Maddie that Percy can never find out their plan, you know darn well he's going to find out the plan. Which obviously creates a rift in the budding friendship, and leads to Maddie going to great lengths to get Percy back in her life. While it's predictable, however, JLaw serves as a great tour guide for us as she leads us through her ups and downs.


The Verdict:
While the R-rated comedy subgenre might be dead, "No Hard Feelings" proves that there's still a small pulse there, so it's not time to zip up the body bag just yet.


The Score: A