No Hard Feelings (2023)

Directed by Gene Stupnitsky. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Natalie Morales, Scott MacArthur, Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Amalia Yoo, Kyle Mooney. [R]

Desperate for cash to save her house, Maddie (Lawrence) answers an ad to “date” a shy, inexperienced nineteen-year-old boy (Feldman) whose parents want to come out of his shell before heading off to college. Raunchy comedy boasts a game star and scattered chuckles, but lacks the courage of its sordid convictions. Not only does it pull back every time it threatens to push the envelope, but it also turns all sentimental in the second half so that Maddie can be redeemed for her crude behavior and irresponsible lifestyle, and the kid can get the confidence he needs to “become a man”. Would-be shock value is defeated by two wrinkles: 1) the virginal youth is of age and interested in sex if his social awkwardness and anxiety would get out of the way, and 2) although they make a point of Maddie being much older than her unwitting client, she could easily pass for mid-twenties (as the listing requested), and her maturity level arguably runs even younger than Feldman’s. Lawrence co-produced; director Gene Stupnitsky co-wrote the script with John Phillips.

53/100