My wife and I recently watched No Hard Feelings (2023) on Netflix. The storyline follows a young woman in dire need of money to pay the taxes on the house her late mother left her. Luckily, she stumbles upon an intriguing offer - a new car in exchange for a rendezvous with a young man before he heads off to college. However, this task proves more challenging than expected.

Directed by Gene Stupnitsky (Good Boys), the film features Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games), Andrew Barth Feldman (Foul Play), Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Laura Benanti (The Shade) and Natalie Morales (Abby's).

This movie exceeded my expectations, offering brilliant comedic content and a compelling storyline. It boasts impressive depth and clever subplots. The acting is exceptional, with the cast nailing their characters in terms of personality, mannerisms, and dialogue. Jennifer Lawrence delivers a standout comedic performance that kept me grinning throughout. "The scene" in this film is truly jaw dropping (Jennifer Lawrence is stunning), and the movie concludes on a satisfying note.

In summary, No Hard Feelings is a refreshing and worthwhile addition to the comedy genre that I would rate a 7.5/10 and strongly recommend.

Maddie Barker (Jennifer Lawrence) is struggling to save her home in Montauk, New York. The working class people are being driven out by the rich summer people. Maddie is way behind in taxes and loses her car which she needs for Uber. She answers a Craigslist post from the Beckers (Laura Benanti, Matthew Broderick). Their son Percy Becker (Andrew Barth Feldman) is a reclusive virgin set to start Princeton. They want him laid and gain life confidence. They hire Maddie to have sex with him in exchange for an used car.

JLaw has some comedic skills. She's better than most actresses in doing broad comedy although she is not strictly a comedian. There is a difference in what she can do. During the naked fight, I am reminded of Jason Segel in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I laughed at Jason's doughy pathetic nakedness. JLaw is neither doughy nor pathetic. That scene is not sexy and it's not comedic either. It exists in a middle ground of awkwardness. The sex part of the story is awkward. They need to pick a lane. She is either a romantic partner or platonic friend. JLaw can do funny slapstick and that's one of her bigger strengths. The characters do have great heart and at its best, this movie has some of the Harold and Maude magic. All in all, it's an enjoyable comedy.

Clearly this gal can do anything, and seeing her in a full-on comedy film enabled her to show her true comedic chops, and she certainly has those. I always found her hilarious in real life - in interviews, segments, etc, and found her to have a down to earth comedic personality, so it's about time she was her true self in a film. The story itself is nothing we haven't seen before, but all casting and performances were spot on, as was the directing, cinematography and score. The pacing was perfect in that the 103 min runtime flew by. There were many laugh out loud moments, especially from Lawrence's antics, and that's what made this film that much more enjoyable. In addition to the comedy, there are some heart warming moments that added that extra touch to this film. I'd have no problem watching this again, especially with some friends, weekend beverages and our brains turned off.