No Hard Feelings: A Feeble Romcom That Falls Flat
Can an engaging cast and a promising premise save a poorly constructed film?
Jennifer Lawrence stars in the lackluster romcom No Hard Feelings, but even her charm can’t save this poorly constructed film. Brian Viner reviews the disappointing movie.
No Hard Feelings is a romantic comedy that unfortunately falls short of delivering an enjoyable experience. It is plagued by weak writing and a lack of wit and charm.
The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as Maddie, a fun-loving commitment-phobe living in a Long Island beach resort. Despite Lawrence’s engaging presence, her performance is not enough to salvage the film.
Maddie is a disowned child who struggles to pay her property taxes and faces losing her home. Desperate to make ends meet, she takes on a bar job and drives for Uber, but even that is not enough to save her from financial ruin.
In a contrived turn of events, Maddie encounters an online advert from a wealthy couple seeking a young woman to initiate their socially inadequate 19-year-old son, Percy, into the ways of the world. Maddie sees this as an opportunity to solve her financial woes.
As Maddie forms a mercenary relationship with Percy, the film attempts to navigate the complexities of an age-gap romance. However, it fails to do so convincingly, with several narrative strands that either don’t connect or fizzle out.
Director and co-writer Gene Stupnitsky, known for his work on the U.S. version of The Office, manages to manufacture a few laughs in the film. However, these moments are overshadowed by a full-frontal nude scene and clunky slapstick that feel desperate and out of place.
Ultimately, No Hard Feelings is a crass and poorly constructed romcom that fails to live up to its potential. Even the star power of Jennifer Lawrence and a likeable performance from Matthew Broderick can’t save this lackluster film.
- No Hard Feelings is a feeble romcom lacking in wit and charm
- Jennifer Lawrence plays Maddie, a commitment-phobe struggling to keep her home
- Maddie takes on a contrived role of initiating a socially inadequate 19-year-old into adulthood
- The film fails to live up to its potential and falls flat in its attempt at an age-gap romance
No Hard Feelings disappoints as a feeble romcom that lacks charm and wit. Its attempt at an age-gap romance falls flat, leaving audiences with little to enjoy.
