No Hard Feelings

No Hard Feelings should be billed as a friendship comedy rather than any kind of new American Pie.

Whilst we haven’t had the sort of R-rated, American 'sex-focussed' comedy in a while, the thrust (pun intended) of the plot here is far too icky a concept to get over in that context.

Thirty-something Maddie answers a Craigslist ad’ (apparently inspired by a real advertisement) from parents offering a free car to a girl who can ‘liberate’ their socially awkward teenage son. So far, so similar to noughties classics like The Girl Next Door, She’s Out Of My League etc. in terms of plot premise (and lack of realism) but just sounds a bit wrong in 2023 right?

Fortunately, the plot drivers are somewhat forgotten as these two begin to hang out and find out that there’s quite a lot they can show each other in terms of moving forward with their lives.

Also fortunately, this is carried by two excellent performances: Jennifer Lawrence is simply iconic in a first ‘non-drama, straight comedy’ role showing a rarely-glimpsed gift for physical comedy as well as showing the pain behind Maddie’s confidence. Maybe a less extreme Tiffany from Silver Linings Playbook, if you will.

Newcomer Andrew Barth Feldman surprisingly keeps up with her, balancing the awkwardness with some equally poignant moments and character growth. He also smashes a Hall & Oates classic in one of the film’s best and most touching scenes.

It is genuinely laugh out loud in places and just about does enough to modernise the genre with some smart culture clash jokes but it does take a little time to warm to. The first quarter feels so like those old films in terms of style and ‘seeming randomness’ that it almost comes across as spoof but doesn’t nail it anywhere like something like Wet Hot American Summer. As soon as our two leads meet though the film sharpens up.

So not quite as good as it could have been and not quite the modern classic of the genre it perhaps aspires to but certainly no horror show either (like the awful Sex Tape). It probably edges Director Gene Stupnitsky’s previous Good Boys which is similar stylistically.

Good date night fodder, not quite ‘all the feelings’ but ‘some hard feelings’ (ooh, matron etc).

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