No Hard Feelings

Written and Directed by Gene Stupnitsky (written alongside John Phillips) is this coming of age comedy. Jennifer Lawrence is Maddie. In her early 30’s she’s drifting. She’s an Uber driver and bar tender, struggling to keep her houseband when she has her car repossessed she’s about to lose her Uber job. A new opportunity comes her way when she sees an ad looking for someone to date Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) son of wealthy parents Alison (Laura Benanti) and Laird (Matthew Broderick). They’re worried about him and want an “experienced” girl to bring him out of his shell and for her troubles she gets a car! But the relationship doesn’t quite play out as anyone expects as Maddie and Percy find they have more in common than they bargained for.

I’m a fan of Jennifer Lawrence, who’s never anything other than watchable. That’s true here, and even though the film is funny at times and surprisingly touching at others, it didn’t fully work for me.

Its main issue is the realtionship at its core It never felt believable. The age gap between them was the real issue, my concern going in was that it would make the premise uncomfortable. To be fair that wasn’t the case, but the age gap did make the relationship unconvincing.

The film wasn’t a total dud by any means. Although the storyline is a well trodden and unoriginal, it had enough laughs and touching moments to keep me engaged, but the lack of believability stopped me fully buying in. Making it no more than easily forgettable fare.

No Hard Feelings isn’t terrible. Jennifer Lawrence is as watchable as always as is Feldman next to her. It’s humorous at times and touching at others. But unfortunately the central realtionship just felt unbelievable, meaning it never fully worked for me. Harmless but forgettable.