No Hard Feelings review: Jennifer Lawrence revives the sex comedy

Ranchy and Heartfelt

R-rated theatrical comedies are a rarity these days. Most new comedies debut ingloriously on streaming sites and are quickly forgotten, never getting the chance to play in front of a raucous crowd. Thankfully, Jennifer Lawrence is attempting to break that streak with No Hard Feelings, a raunchy R-rated sex comedy with its heart in the right place.

Lawrence plays Maddie Barker, a down-on-her-luck 32-year-old who works as an Uber driver in order to keep up the payments on her family home on Long Island. When her car is repossessed, Maddie happens upon a Craigslist ad by the parents of a shy teenage boy that promises the use of a car — if a woman is willing to “date” their son.

Maddie agrees to the prospect of sleeping with 19-year-old Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) in order to get her hands on the family’s Buick Regal and get back to work. Unfortunately for Maddie, Percy is completely unaware of the set-up and is too shy to simply jump in bed with a strange, older woman. Thus begins an unexpected and hilarious courtship as Maddie tries her best to seduce Percy, an awkward teen who would rather play with his VR set in his room than sleep with his extremely pushy new friend.

The Return of the Sex Comedy

Directed by Good Boys‘ Gene Stupnitsky (who co-wrote the film with John Phillips), No Hard Feelings is a raunchy sex comedy in the mold of American Pie that never sells its characters short. Andrew Barth Feldman, in particular, adds a level of complexity to the role of Percy. While it would be easy to portray Percy as a virgin loser, Feldman delivers a nuanced and surprising performance that makes you root for him even as his personal life starts spiralling out of control.

That said, this sort of movie falls apart without the charisma of Jennifer Lawrence, who also served as a producer on the film. The notion of someone who looks like Jennifer Lawrence practically begging to sleep with a shy teen is a great premise, and Lawrence fully embraces the concept. From over-the-top sexual mishaps to heartfelt moments of tenderness, this is a perfect match of material and performer and Lawrence is magnetic throughout.

The Best Studio Comedy in Years

While the film may sag a bit in the middle, No Hard Feelings is still one of the best studio comedies in years and serves as perfect counter-programming to the glut of franchise instalments clogging up every local multiplex. The first great date movie of the summer is finally here — go support it, and keep comedies in theatres where they belong.

No Hard Feelings is in theatres now.