FilmSnobReviews

Title: No Hard Feelings
MPA Rating: R
Director: Gene Stupnitsky
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Natalie Morales
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins

What It Is: Maddie Barker (Lawrence) is having a bad time. Not only was her only transportation, and main source of income just repossessed but her home might soon be next. When she discovers an ad from two desperate parents Laird (Matthew Broderick) and Allison (Laura Benanti). This ad states that if someone can date their son Percy (Feldman) they’ll receive a lightly used Buick. This is perfect. If she can actually pull this off.

What We Think: This is a hilarious film. One that features a fun little gender swap on several tropes that have been used in comedies since time immemorial. Jennifer Lawrence is ridiculously funny. There are scenarios, sight-gags and jokes here that had me genuinely laughing my butt off. Andrew Barth Feldman (who actually held off going to Harvard to shoot this) carries his weight as the films straight man. Broderick and Benanti are really fun in their small role. We need more small comedies like this. These were, for a very log time, the backbone of the American box-office for quite some time. There’s been more and more of these coming out and I am all for it.

Our Grade: B, This really enjoyable comedy is available right now and I can recommend this very highly. Jennifer Lawrence should do more actual comedy she is built for it. Smartly written, funny and directed by a comedy vet with The Office pedigree. If you’ve seen Stupnitsky’s previous directorial effort Good Boys it is clear he understands comedy even if his direction isn’t always the best. I cannot wait to see what he does next. There’s a lot to like in this comedy and the fact that it is ACTUALLY funny is pretty awesome because it is feeling rarer and rarer that comedies are funny.