Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence is back in her first film since taking a break from the movie world and having a baby. Her comeback project, which she both produces and stars in, is raunchy comedy No Hard Feelings, which is full to the brim of physical comedy and the odd heartwarming moment, but overall is forgettable and does not make the most of its talented leads.
Lawrence plays Maddie, a straight-talking and confident 32-year-old born and bred in Long Island beach town Montauk, who deeply resents the influx of wealthy city-dwellers to her hometown each summer.
She double-jobs as a waitress and an Uber driver to make ends meet, and most importantly, earn enough to cover the ever-increasing property taxes of the home her late mother left her.
At risk of losing the house, she responds to a Craigslist ad posted by two well-meaning and wealthy helicopter parents, who are looking for a woman to date their socially-awkward 19-year old son and help bring him out of his shell before he goes to college. It's pretty clear that the "date" comes with certain implications.
In exchange for her services, they promise to give her a car. The story was based on a real-life Craigslist ad that went viral over a decade ago.
At its essence, what comes next is the very typical "odd couple" story of two people, from different worlds, who are forced to spend time together and ultimately help each other grow and evolve.
While the dialogue and performances are generally polished, the story is very predictable, packed with many tropes from the 90s/00s rom-com textbook.
There are a few laugh-out-loud moments - but not enough - and you can’t help but wish some of the one-liners were that bit more considered and sharper, as they fell flat. Several times, it felt like an opportunity was missed.
Several gags – including the one about Maddie being soooooo unbelievably old at 32 years of age – are hammered home one time too many, and feel laboured.
Andrew Barth Feldman gives a fantastic debut as awkward teen Percy. The young musical theatre star delayed going to Harvard to be part of this movie and it seems to have been a wise decision - No Hard Feelings is a real showcase for his talents.
He brings depth and charm to Percy and is central in the film’s stand-out scene, where he plays the piano and sings a memorable version of Hall & Oates Maneater - a rare and welcome flash of originality in the film.
Jennifer Lawrence’s many fans will be delighted to see back and she nails this role, which is very much in her comfort zone.
There are many cringy moments, generally around the age gap between the two leads and Maddie's initial full-on attempts to seduce Percy, and it’s almost impossible to imagine that the film would have been made if the genders of the two leads were reversed.
There are nice turns from Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti as Percy’s helicopter parents – and some genuinely funny moments from Saturday Night Live star Kyle Mooney as two-faced nanny Jody and US comedy show host Hasan Minahj as an opportunistic estate agent. I would have loved to have seen more from this talented supporting cast.
Will No Hard Feelings go down as one of the great romantic comedies or coming-of-age stories? Definitely not, but it's fun, light summer fare that showcases two of the most talented actors of a generation, and that's always worth a look.
