by Josh Sewell
No Hard Feelings
(Rated R for sexual content, language, some graphic nudity and brief drug use. Opens in theaters on June 23.)
(Rated R for sexual content, language, some graphic nudity and brief drug use. Opens in theaters on June 23.)
In the post-pandemic theatrical landscape, mega budget blockbusters have dominated. The general thinking of studio execs seems to be that if tickets cost the same across the board, audiences prefer to pay for spectacle on the big screen and watch smaller movies at home via streaming services and VOD.
I suppose that makes sense on the surface, but what happens when your only choice is CGI overload in every theater auditorium? If recent underperforming flicks like Fast X, The Flash and Elemental (to list just a few) have anything to say about it, audiences are still being selective about their viewing choices. (You can’t really chalk it up to superhero fatigue when quality stuff like Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is still doing exceptionally well.)
This blockbuster burnout is coming along at a perfect time for No Hard Feelings, the raunchy comedy starring Jennifer Lawrence that opens this weekend. It’s under two hours, it’s not a sequel or remake, and it doesn’t require studying comic book mythology like you’re cramming for a midterm.
Plus, it’s a throwback to R-rated fare from the last decade or so – like Bridesmaids, Bad Teacher and Blockers – that doesn’t sacrifice quality characters or heart for the sake of a gross-out gag. It’s such a refreshing change of pace from recent summer fare that I was more than willing to give it the benefit of the doubt from the start.
The premise is simple, if a tad farfetched: cash-strapped Maddie (Lawrence) is about to lose her house, so she responds to a bizarre job listing. It turns out that a wealthy, middle-aged couple (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benati) are looking for someone to “date” their socially awkward teenage son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) over the summer before he heads off to Princeton. However, bringing him out of his shell ends up being a much bigger challenge than Maddie anticipated. As such, chaotic hijinks and unexpected emotional growth ensues.
It's hard to believe Lawrence, one of the most charming and effortlessly funny talk show guests around, has never starred in a full-blown comedy until now. She’s a natural at making even the dirtiest material come off as endearing and she’s not afraid to make herself the butt of the joke if it gets a laugh. (That includes a lengthy nude scene played for awkward comedic effect and shock value rather than titillation.)
But her skill at conveying the pathos at the core of her character, as well as the deceit she must stoop to in order to make ends meet, reminds you why she’s already an Oscar winner. Feldman, making his big screen debut, is also fantastic. He matches Lawrence’s haywire comedic energy, but he also keeps Percy from being a stereotypical pathetic nerd.
No Hard Feelings has a deep bench of terrific supporting players, including the always-wonderful Natalie Morales and brilliant character actor Zahn McClarnon. He pops up for a couple of scenes as Maddie’s lawyer and comes close to stealing the whole movie with a single, perfectly executed deadpan stare.
Director Gene Stupnitsky (who co-wrote the screenplay with John Phillips) is no stranger to this tricky combination of R-rated humor and heart thanks to movies like Good Boys and the aforementioned Bad Teacher. However, he really steps his game up here – the tonal balance doesn’t always land perfectly, but it hits far more than it misses.
Here’s hoping No Hard Feelings doesn’t get lost in the deluge of summer blockbusters. It’s a welcome respite from nonstop explosions and universe-level stakes, as well as a reminder that it’s still okay to make movies for grownups. I’d love to see it kick off another cinematic comedy renaissance – it’s been a while since we’ve had one.
Grade: B+
Book Review: Burn It Down
I suppose that makes sense on the surface, but what happens when your only choice is CGI overload in every theater auditorium? If recent underperforming flicks like Fast X, The Flash and Elemental (to list just a few) have anything to say about it, audiences are still being selective about their viewing choices. (You can’t really chalk it up to superhero fatigue when quality stuff like Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is still doing exceptionally well.)
This blockbuster burnout is coming along at a perfect time for No Hard Feelings, the raunchy comedy starring Jennifer Lawrence that opens this weekend. It’s under two hours, it’s not a sequel or remake, and it doesn’t require studying comic book mythology like you’re cramming for a midterm.
Plus, it’s a throwback to R-rated fare from the last decade or so – like Bridesmaids, Bad Teacher and Blockers – that doesn’t sacrifice quality characters or heart for the sake of a gross-out gag. It’s such a refreshing change of pace from recent summer fare that I was more than willing to give it the benefit of the doubt from the start.
The premise is simple, if a tad farfetched: cash-strapped Maddie (Lawrence) is about to lose her house, so she responds to a bizarre job listing. It turns out that a wealthy, middle-aged couple (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benati) are looking for someone to “date” their socially awkward teenage son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) over the summer before he heads off to Princeton. However, bringing him out of his shell ends up being a much bigger challenge than Maddie anticipated. As such, chaotic hijinks and unexpected emotional growth ensues.
It's hard to believe Lawrence, one of the most charming and effortlessly funny talk show guests around, has never starred in a full-blown comedy until now. She’s a natural at making even the dirtiest material come off as endearing and she’s not afraid to make herself the butt of the joke if it gets a laugh. (That includes a lengthy nude scene played for awkward comedic effect and shock value rather than titillation.)
But her skill at conveying the pathos at the core of her character, as well as the deceit she must stoop to in order to make ends meet, reminds you why she’s already an Oscar winner. Feldman, making his big screen debut, is also fantastic. He matches Lawrence’s haywire comedic energy, but he also keeps Percy from being a stereotypical pathetic nerd.
No Hard Feelings has a deep bench of terrific supporting players, including the always-wonderful Natalie Morales and brilliant character actor Zahn McClarnon. He pops up for a couple of scenes as Maddie’s lawyer and comes close to stealing the whole movie with a single, perfectly executed deadpan stare.
Director Gene Stupnitsky (who co-wrote the screenplay with John Phillips) is no stranger to this tricky combination of R-rated humor and heart thanks to movies like Good Boys and the aforementioned Bad Teacher. However, he really steps his game up here – the tonal balance doesn’t always land perfectly, but it hits far more than it misses.
Here’s hoping No Hard Feelings doesn’t get lost in the deluge of summer blockbusters. It’s a welcome respite from nonstop explosions and universe-level stakes, as well as a reminder that it’s still okay to make movies for grownups. I’d love to see it kick off another cinematic comedy renaissance – it’s been a while since we’ve had one.
Grade: B+
by Maureen Ryan
(Now available.)
In recent years, the curtain hiding some of Hollywood’s darkest secrets has been aggressively yanked back, exposing some of the industry’s most toxic business practices and bringing horrific predators into the light. Maureen Ryan’s infuriating but vital new book plays a big role in detailing just how big the problem is, the baby steps we’ve taken to address it and what we can do to keep working toward a better future for Hollywood.
Ryan, a veteran entertainment journalist, chronicles the industry’s extensive history of harassment and bias, proving that abuse and exploitation are baked into the foundations of the business. Drawing on decades of experience, she not only points out the many issues plaguing the film and television business – using shows like Lost, Sleepy Hollow, Saturday Night Live and others as examples – she also gets into the specifics of ways we can fix them.
Thanks to powerful conversations with actors and behind-the-scenes creatives like Evan Rachel Wood, Harold Perrineau, Orlando Jones and Damon Lindelof, the author proves she’s not just repeating rumors and conjecture. She also tackles a number of myths about show business, including meritocracy, the tortured genius, art versus commerce, and more.
Because of the sheer nature and scope of the issues addressed in Burn It Down, Ryan’s writing ends up feeling a bit repetitive and meandering in places. She also has to rely on a significant number of anonymous sources (represented by aliases), since so many of the people interviewed are still at the mercy of vindictive former bosses and colleagues.
Ultimately, though, the author finds compelling ways to wrangle the topics at hand and connect the dots by the end of each chapter. Of course, as the multitude of topics pile up, there’s even further complexity and frustration, but Ryan makes sure her account doesn’t read like a litany of grievances that are impossible to overcome.
A 400-page book full of these wrenching accounts could’ve easily come off as depressing and hopeless. However, Ryan – while being honest about the difficult journey ahead – believes it’s theoretically possible. That bit of optimism keeps the book from feeling like a grim, never-ending slog and offers a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.
Grade: B
(Now available.)
In recent years, the curtain hiding some of Hollywood’s darkest secrets has been aggressively yanked back, exposing some of the industry’s most toxic business practices and bringing horrific predators into the light. Maureen Ryan’s infuriating but vital new book plays a big role in detailing just how big the problem is, the baby steps we’ve taken to address it and what we can do to keep working toward a better future for Hollywood.
Ryan, a veteran entertainment journalist, chronicles the industry’s extensive history of harassment and bias, proving that abuse and exploitation are baked into the foundations of the business. Drawing on decades of experience, she not only points out the many issues plaguing the film and television business – using shows like Lost, Sleepy Hollow, Saturday Night Live and others as examples – she also gets into the specifics of ways we can fix them.
Thanks to powerful conversations with actors and behind-the-scenes creatives like Evan Rachel Wood, Harold Perrineau, Orlando Jones and Damon Lindelof, the author proves she’s not just repeating rumors and conjecture. She also tackles a number of myths about show business, including meritocracy, the tortured genius, art versus commerce, and more.
Because of the sheer nature and scope of the issues addressed in Burn It Down, Ryan’s writing ends up feeling a bit repetitive and meandering in places. She also has to rely on a significant number of anonymous sources (represented by aliases), since so many of the people interviewed are still at the mercy of vindictive former bosses and colleagues.
Ultimately, though, the author finds compelling ways to wrangle the topics at hand and connect the dots by the end of each chapter. Of course, as the multitude of topics pile up, there’s even further complexity and frustration, but Ryan makes sure her account doesn’t read like a litany of grievances that are impossible to overcome.
A 400-page book full of these wrenching accounts could’ve easily come off as depressing and hopeless. However, Ryan – while being honest about the difficult journey ahead – believes it’s theoretically possible. That bit of optimism keeps the book from feeling like a grim, never-ending slog and offers a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.
Grade: B
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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