No Hard Feelings (2023)

No Hard Feelings is that rare modern studio comedy that actually feels like a comedy: big, shameless set pieces, sharp timing, and a real movie-star performance from Jennifer Lawrence, who reminds you how fearless she can be when she’s allowed to be messy and hilarious. Gene Stupnitsky takes a premise that sounds purely raunchy on paper and finds an unexpectedly sweet, human rhythm in it, letting the laughs land while the characters’ insecurities quietly sneak up on you. The vibe is sunlit, beach-town chaos with an undercurrent of sincerity, and Lawrence and Andrew Barth Feldman have a surprisingly winning chemistry that turns awkwardness into genuine charm. It’s definitely not for the prudish—this is very R-rated and proudly so—but if you miss comedies that are both outrageous and oddly warm, this one earns your time.

No Hard Feelings is clearly aiming for a raunchy, slightly taboo rom-com that uses an outrageous setup to smuggle in a sweeter story about growing up and letting go. The problem is it often plays that premise surprisingly safe, so if you’re expecting wall-to-wall audacity and nonstop laughs, you may find the pacing uneven and the comedy hit-or-miss between a few big physical set pieces. The plot moves in pretty familiar beats, and the writing sometimes feels like it’s sanding down the messier, funnier edges it could’ve leaned into. That said, Jennifer Lawrence commits hard, Andrew Barth Feldman brings a likable awkwardness, and when the movie slows down into genuine character moments, it’s more charming than you might expect—just don’t go in hoping it’s the next great outrageous comedy.