Full disclosure, I watched this movie in April for work, but I wanted to wait until now to post this so people (my many, many fans and subscribers) could read my thoughts and recommendation when the movie was actually available to watch. Had I not gotten to watch it early through work, I still would have gone to see this movie. I have been a huge Jennifer Lawrence fan for a while, and not necessarily because I’m a fan of her movies, but more that I’m a fan of her as a person. In every interview and public appearance, she’s unbelievably funny and unhinged in the best way. It’s always been interesting to me that most of her films have been serious dramas when, in real life, she could not be serious if she tried. So I was very excited when I saw she was finally going to be doing a comedy and, in my opinion, it delivered. 

Many people in recent years have lamented the death of the R-rated comedy. The first decade of the 2000s had hit after hit in that genre and the majority of those movies are just as funny today (even though some of the jokes don’t exactly hold up). For a variety of reasons, they just don’t make movies like that anymore. No Hard Feelings is a valiant attempt to bring back the R-rated comedy. It hit every box on the checklist: funny, wild, just slightly over-the-top, and a surprising amount of heart. It also felt to me like it took elements from a bunch of other movies without feeling like a rip-off of any specific one in a way that felt comfortable (by being familiar) and still fresh (by arranging all the usual elements in a new way).

Jennifer Lawrence absolutely carries this movie on her back. Her star power just radiates off the screen and you’re just in on her and whatever she’s doing. I don’t think the movie works without her and her unique charm.

Without actually being a Judd Apatow movie, No Hard Feelings is definitely in the vein of one by essentially boiling down to being about people who are forced to grow up and let go. I think this is a great summer comedy. It’s funny, silly, light, and with just enough heart to keep it grounded. It also has a very beachy, summer aesthetic that is fitting for the season. I would definitely recommend this for a casual summer movie night to escape the heat or turn your brain off after a long day or week. And I would recommend to Jennifer Lawrence that she make more comedies. We need her.

2023 Count: 6 seasons, 19 movies