Since her career began in 2008, Jennifer Lawrence has appeared in about 25 films. That some of them are an out and out comedy may surprise some. David and Russell The Silver Linings Playbook As close as Lawrence gets, that film is imbued with a melancholy tenderness that earned the actress her first Academy Award. Now, after stepping out of the spotlight and stepping away from franchise filmmaking, Lawrence is back and better than ever. His latest film, No hard feelings. A dual coming-of-age story lurks within a raunchy comedy that, despite its flaws, is both sweet and hysterical, a chaotic performance from Lawrence that shows the actress can do just about anything.
Lawrence plays Maddie Barker, a Montauk woman whose home — a prime piece of real estate in the beach-side vacation town — is under threat of foreclosure due to delinquent property taxes. When a disgraced ex (Evonne Moss-Bachrach) tows her car, which is also a source of income for her as an Uber driver, Maddie happens upon a Craigslist ad that could change her life. Their son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), Alison (Lauren Benanti) and Laird (Matthew Broderick) offer Maddie a Buick in exchange for a “date” to prepare Maddie for her upcoming term at Princeton, which is about to start in the fall. Naturally, chaos ensues. While Maddy tries to seduce awkward Percy in all the wrong ways.
Fortunately, what comes before is properly hysterical. Lawrence may not have the comedic timing of her more seasoned peers, but she makes up for it with sheer confidence. Maddie is as shameless as she is selling both Airhead and Lawrence any way she can. His performance stood in great contrast to his turn last year Causeway, a quiet drama in which she starred opposite Brian Tyree Henry. It was already clear that Lawrence had the range and desire to get there, but No hard feelings Such a stark departure, and a treat to see her having so much fun, especially after her turn in the movie Don’t look up And Dark Phoenix.
Andrew Barth Feldman and Jennifer Lawrence in No Hard Feelings.
