Gene Stupnitsky (Picture Groucho Marx with a cigar saying, “With a last name like that you’ve got to have a sense of humor”) and John Phillips wrote No Hard Feelings with the former (Stupnitsky) directing the movie. They worked together on The Office and Stupnitsky also wrote and directed Bad Teacher, another guilty pleasure of mine. I admire these guys’ courage to bring back the bawdy.
The pair lightly grill the woke crowd in a Princeton ice breaker, yet also throw a side glance at the other side; hurtful inappropriateness. I feel sad for the Rolling Stone reviewer (ironically with the last name Fear) who found nothing funny about this movie. I laughed out loud several times and was also mildly moved by the sentimentality. And you can’t ask much more for a Sunday evening at Hollywood 11 Sarasota. Though I would like to ask one more thing: stop over salting the popcorn, unless you’re in cahoots with SMH’s Stroke Clinic! But I digress…
The acting was excellent with Jennifer Lawrence doing her best comedic work since Silver Linings Playbook (for which she won an Oscar). How she kept a straight face in some of the scenes is beyond me. Her counterpart is Andrew Barth Feldman, a cure 21 year old actor who has been around a bit, but in nothing too grand before this movie. He definitely stands on his own as a stereotypical, but believable nerd. Four other noteworthy performances were executed by: one of my all time man crushes, Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti as his movie wife, and Jennifer’s movie character’s friends; Natalie Morales (Parks and Rec) and Jonah Hill lookalike Scott MacArthur who puts on funny goofball charm.
The only downfall scenes were of slapstick violence. Had the writers thought a little harder about mild dangers rather than gags, the emotion of the film would have resonated more and hence a more quality film. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed No Hard Feelings and hope more writers are willing to ‘go there’ with adult comedies.
