What would you do for a free car?
What would you do for a free car?
Jennifer Lawrence is a producer and leading lady No hard feelings, a sex comedy in which she portrays Maddie, a young Uber driver facing bankruptcy. After spotting her Craigslist ad, she agrees to date a couple’s son in exchange for a Buick Regal.
Believe it or not, No Hard Feelings is based on a real Craigslist ad. Little did the posters know that with their bid they had inadvertently created one of the funniest comedies of the decade. This is an excellent throwback to 2000s sex comedies – something we don’t see that often anymore.
It is directed by Gene Stupnitsky, who previously directed Good Boys and wrote some standout episodes of The Office. He proves to be a gifted and accomplished comedic director here. Straightforward, raunchy comedy is hard to find in the 2020s, as is Judd Apatow’s style of filmmaking stylish nowadays. However, this film is reminiscent of classics like “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up”.
No Hard Feelings takes Jennifer Lawrence’s sex appeal and plays it off for laughs. In the film, she faces off against nineteen-year-old Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), a clumsy young man about to go to college. It’s funny to see a beautiful woman in her 30’s trying to flirt with a clumsy teenager. It’s even funnier to see him reject her advances – totally immune to her charms. The antics that spring from Maddie’s repeated failed attempts to portray Percy’s sexual fantasy are among the film’s brightest moments.
Lawrence is a real eye-catcher here and gives himself completely to his task. In her career she has mainly taken on serious projects like “The Hunger Games”, “Mother!” and “Causeway” in the last year. Because of this, her great comedic talents didn’t have much time to develop. She’s hilarious here and doesn’t skip a moment.
Feldman matches her energy as a loveable, shy guy. He is believable as the naïve Melvin who is initially confused by Maddie but ultimately opens up to the idea of a relationship with her. Despite not being a love story, it has a romantic comedy approach that feels sweet.
There’s also a surprising amount of soul at the center of this film. The characters are well developed and the chemistry between them is great. While the characterization is appreciated, it can make No Hard Feelings seem inconsistent as some scenes don’t perform as well as others and most of the funniest parts are given away in the trailer.
Still, the film remains a comedic triumph. After all, an R-rated big screen comedy is a rare beast. And while this film may be too rough for some and not quite as strong as Stupnitsky’s other works, it’s still an excellent example of successful sex comedy.
SCORE: 7/10
As explained in ComingSoon’s Rating Guidelines, a rating of 7 equals Good. A successful entertainment that is worth a visit, but may not please everyone.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press preview for us No hard feelings Review.