No Hard Feelings is surprisingly charming, as it offers more than just some laugh out loud humor, it delivers heart too. Great lead performances but something still feels a bit off.
No Hard Feelings is billed as a raunchy comedy when looking at the trailers, however it ends up being much more than that. This is the story of an unlikely friendship. Don’t get me wrong, it still delivers hilarious laugh out loud moments, but it isn’t afraid so show some heart, too. Both lead actors, Jennifer Lawrence and Andrew Barth Feldman, give great performances. They have a good chemistry on screen, and are both likable in their own ways.
This movie follows thirty-something year old Maddie, who is about to lose her childhood home. She is willing to do just about anything to save it, which is why she ends up being hired by helicopter parents to “date” their nineteen year old son, Percy, in order to help him come out of his shell. The premise is a little bit disgusting, and trust me, there are several uncomfortable moments in the movie, but unfortunately it also feels relatable as there are definitely parents like this out there in the world.
While most viewers will not like Maddie at first, because of what she is doing to Percy, she really does have her reasons. And you can’t help but see that her actions are benefiting Percy in a positive way, even if he is destined to get his heart broken.
Feldman does a wonderful job allowing the awkwardness of Percy to shine through. It isn’t his fault that he is the way he is — that is very clearly because of his parents and how they have sheltered him as he grew up. The character of Percy is certainly going to be relatable to some viewers. He is far too connected to his phone, living the majority of his life online, which has caused him to not know how to act in person.

Easily the biggest issue with No Hard Feelings comes out if you think too much about it. Percy is a young boy. He is impressionable and what Maddie doing to him is pretty much unforgivable. Sure, it all predictably works out in the end, but the journey there is filled with cringey moments mixed in with the funny ones. Thankfully it never fully crosses the line, but it gets dangerously close.
Parents of teenagers might have a hard time watching No Hard Feelings. Just look at the news and there are people of Maddie’s age that have taken advantage of those who are younger in the past. At least he is of age, but nineteen is still young. I couldn’t help but feel gross at times, and like I was watching something I shouldn’t be.
That being said, every time these feelings crept up, the movie would change the subject, throw in a joke that you can’t help but laugh out loud at, or even shove some wisdom into it. There are great messages about not being stuck in the past, about coming out of your shell, and about putting your phone down every now and then.
Overall Thoughts
No Hard Feelings is not as much a raunchy comedy as you might anticipate going in. It is sure to throw a fair amount of heart in with the humor. Despite there being some moments that will have viewers wondering what they are watching, and why they are doing so, it is surprisingly charming and entertaining.
The two leads offer great performances, and have a wonderful chemistry on screen. They are believable in their roles, and even relatable at times. That being said, things get awkward and uncomfortable as well. The age gap can’t be looked past in some scenes, even though they are both technically of age. Maybe that is the parent in me speaking, or the fact that this goes on too much in the real world.
Overall though, the movie is fun enough. It delivers laughs and it zooms by at under two hours. No Hard Feelings is a predictable comedy that sneaks in just enough heart and important lessons to make it charming. It most certainly will not be for everyone, though.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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About No Hard Feelings
On the brink of losing her childhood home, Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence) discovers an intriguing job listing: wealthy helicopter parents looking for someone to “date” their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy, before he leaves for college. To her surprise, Maddie soon discovers the awkward Percy is no sure thing.
No Hard Feelings comes to theaters on June 23rd.
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.