No Hard Feelings (#444)


I was encouraged by the opening scenes of NO HARD FEELINGS, despite what I now suspect is the double meaning of the title and the foul language (f-word endlessly), because it looked like the beginning of a pleasant (if raunchy bordering on the obscene) romantic comedy.  The director, writers and all associated with the movie somehow lost track along the way, and it turned into a not-very-well-done drama with psychological overtones.  Did I read too much into this one?  It somehow wandered away from fun to a serious film that jolted me.  Excellent actress Jennifer Lawrence is wasted in this one although she was sometimes very funny in spite of her foul mouth.  She portrays a young woman, living in Montauk, NY,  on the verge of disaster.  She owes back taxes on her house (left to her by her mother) and her car (she is an Uber driver) is repossessed.  Her best friends show her an ad placed by wealthy parents looking for someone to “date" (read between the lines) their shy, immature 19 year-old-son before he starts Princeton in the fall.  The payoff for her services is a Buick Regal.  She starts out boldly provocative and you can imagine what happens when that doesn’t work. Sorry, Jennifer.  The rest of the movie is just silly, including Matthew Broderick as the boy’s father.  Wait until you see him!!!!  Did the critics love it?  68% did along with 88% of audiences.  I was just disappointed.

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