Film Review #037 - No Hard Feelings (2023)

"No Hard Feelings" (2023) directed by Gene Stupnitsky, marks his second full-length feature film. The story for No Hard Feelings is originally written by Gene Stupnitsky and John Phillips. It features well known actors such as Jennifer Lawrence, who played in The Hunger Games movies, Andrew Barth Feldman, played in High School Musical series and Laura Benanti. 

"No Hard Feelings" (2023) is an English-language film from the United States that came out on June 23, 2023, Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. This movie is 103 minutes long. The movie was made with a big budget of $45 million. It has done well at the box office, making $87.3 million.

Synopsis: The story is about Maddie who is about to lose her home. She sees a job listing for helicopter parents who want someone to help their shy 19-year-old son become more outgoing before college.

Cinematography: Cinematography is exceptional. I liked how the introduction started with a car's point of view shot and other camera shots, such as very cool close-ups and long shots. I had a sense of feeling that the cinematography had adopted the Scorsese inspired style, e.g., fast pans from left to right and sometimes reminds me and the vibe of the cinematography that gave me was “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013) by Scoresese but with a different aspect ratio of the movie frame. In the Cinematography there's also high angle long shots implemented in this movie yet not too much. In addition, I liked the Dutch tilt shots employed in this film. Moreover, while the natural lighting in the pub scene was realistic, it could have been improved for better viewer experience.

Storyline and Actors: The script is humorously written, rich in dialogue, and features smooth transitions. Jennifer Lawrence delivers another compelling performance, contributing significantly to the film's appeal. Percy's character and story side is well-developed. It showcases his shyness and intelligence and the way his parents see him. 

However, the initial interactions between Maddie and Percy are awkward. Maddie's approach, as portrayed by Lawrence, felt forced and overly sexualized in certain scenes, which might not resonate well with all audiences due to the age gap. This is compounded by Maddie's manipulative intent to accomplish her primary goal rather than something different as expected. Furthermore, the film's use of strong language and graphic scenes, including nudity, might be off-putting for some viewers. These elements made me feel uncomfortable, particularly during the interactions between Maddie and Percy.

But, on the bright side, the relationships between two of them became progressively less awkward. In the movie I see it comes through trial and error building a healthy relationship. Hence, Percy wants to focus on genuine connection and friendship with Maddie that comes later to her realization.

I like the last 30 minutes of the movie and it is rising to the climax of the movie intensifying with music. Generally speaking, I like how the relationship between Maddie and Percy evolved, despite how complicated it was.

Sound Mixing and FX: I like the sound effects used in this film. They are appropriate and reasonable. The sound effects in the film are well-mixed and add to the movie's ambiance. I like the music and the film. It's very varied in specific scenes. It included a piano piece by Percey which was a great performance by him. His voice is good even though I felt this was pre-recorded and Percy just lip-synced.

Impressions: The first half of the movie is watchable and was interractive but leaves mixed feelings due to its complex portrayal of relationships, especially between Percey’s parents and Maddie. As they say, “This is life”. The second half shows improvement and makes the film more engaging. While the film resonated with me, it also left me feeling confused in many ways, a sentiment that lingered especially after the movie ended. Towards the end of the film, I experienced a sense of relief. However, I had high expectations for the end of the film, but it felt like it was not enough. Hence, I was a bit underwhelmed.

Conclusion: So, is it worth watching? Definitely, at least once. Even though I experienced mixed feelings about this movie, "No Hard Feelings" is an interesting dramedy, romcom movie in its storyline with outstanding comedy acting and a unique look. The movie deals with complicated relationships that go through trial and error. 

Rating: 7/10