Movies: Jennifer Lawrence's Latest is a Raunchy Comedic Delight
Indeed, there's “No Hard Feelings” for this wild romp
“No Hard Feelings” is a special movie, but it’ll likely be extremely divisive.
On one hand, one can absolutely fall in love with the sheer absurdity of this film and its plot line. On the other hand, the raunchiness of the film creates some very cringe-inducing moments, with the main character being involved in bits many may see as distasteful, to say the least.
It takes a special talent like star Jennifer Lawrence to elevate what could be a throwaway attempt at R-rated comedy for most performers into what this is — a hilarious and self-aware film that is here simply to be enjoyed.
Lawrence plays Maddie Barker, a struggling 32-year-old saddled in debt who’s trying to keep up with the Jones’s in mostly upscale Montauk, New York by driving for Uber in the summer along with bartending gig.
The movie gets going as Maddie learns that the house she inherited from her late mother is in danger of being foreclosed on. On top of that, her car has to be repossessed by none other than a former fling, Gary, portrayed by Ebon Moss-Bachrach (“The Bear”). While looking up Craigslist ads, Maddie sees an offer to get a free car. Like with all Craigslist advertisements, there is a catch.
The ad turns out to have been made by rich helicopter parents by the name of Allison and Laird Becker (Laura Benanti and Matthew Broderick) who task Maddie with an offer more appropriate for a previous, less regulated era of Craigslist: date and have sex with their 19-year-old son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) without him knowing about the deal and Maddie will get the car and the chance to take care of all her money issues.
The plot of the movie is completely crazy and should not work, but the chemistry of leads Lawrence and Feldman makes it work. Lawrence shows great tenacity in committing to the bits her character has to execute, many of which stem from the discomfort that comes from Feldman’s character being anxiety-riddled and extremely awkward. It may be distracting to see Lawrence so wild early on but eventually she disappears and all you see is Maddie Barker slowly caring about Percy Becker and wanting to take care of him and become his genuine friend instead of acting merely as an older woman sex fantasy.
Here is where some heart enters the film’s equation, though it is still very much powered by the circumstances surrounding a series of outrageous hi jinks rooted in Maddie’s attempts to lure Percy — many of them we get a taste of in the effective “Red Band” trailer that came out months ago, establishing this as an old-school swing at fun, unapologetic laughs. Not much is given away in that trailer, though, it only provides a select amount of the many crazy things that occur within the film.
The constant jokes help the already modest run time of “No Hard Feelings” fly by in an enjoyable flash. The physical comedy that Lawrence and Feldman each showcase is brilliant and everyone in the cast is given absolute bright spots and memorable moments. This script likely seemed like a winner on the page, making it seem more reasonable why Lawrence not only signed on for this project, but helped produce it.
Lawrence has dipped in a few different genres but this can be considered the first full-on comedy she has been a part of. Some may bring up 2021’s “Don’t Look Up” released in 2021, but I’d consider Adam McKay’s latest auteur piece to be another in his line of dramatic satire statement pieces, “No Hard Feelings,” as its title suggests, isn’t looking to weigh you down with any heavy-handed social commentary, its here for a no-strings-attached experience, much like Maddie in its first act.
Feldman, who was great in last year’s “White Noise,” should get a lot more attention after this role, which sees him on par with Lawrence both in rowdy bits and tender moments, he’s fantastic.
Though the plot is a little too simple, it gets the train moving regardless. Its easy to wonder why Maddie Barker couldn’t have just rented out a part of her house to get more money, but that kind of sensible thinking wouldn’t have allowed for the ultimate connection and burrowing through adversity that this film depicts, its definitely something you come to admire in the characters by the film’s end.
“No Hard Feelings” harkens back to the best R comedies of the early-to-mid 2000s, and it is absolutely refreshing in today’s climate, which lacks comedy that isn’t accompanied by superhero costumes. Gene Stupinksky’s writing and directing showcases the humanity of the characters, while also nailing how crazy people can get in the name of caring for themselves and those closest to them. It is the core of the film and I couldn’t get enough of it.
“No Hard Feelings” is Rated R with a runtime of 1 hour, 40 minutes. It is out now in theatres throughout the United States.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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