No Hard Feelings

Directed by Gene Stupnitsky

What a young woman wouldn’t do for a luxury car! —when the car is her means of earning an honest living as an Uber driver.

Careless Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence) turns to an intriguing opportunity posted on Craigslist by wealthy parents looking for someone to "date" their timid, introverted 19-year-old son before he leaves for college; in return they offer their Buick Regal parked in the garden of their lavish mansion. It seems the answer to Maddie’s financial problem, but she soon realizes that winning over the awkward rich kid will not be as easy as she thought.

Inspired by a real Craigslist ad and written and directed by Ukrainian director Gene Stupnitsky, there is no shortage of fun in this politically correct rom-com, brimming with sexual references. The trump card is actress Jennifer Lawrence, displaying a rampant likeability and undoubted comic talent, which keeps the comedy grounded and natural. The chemistry with the young (and excellent singer) Andrew Barth Feldman works well at times, but stumbles in some scenes that are a bit too coarse and silly, and not fun.

The maritime setting also works well, creating romance and carefree atmosphere and maintaining a pleasantly nostalgic line. Admittedly, the narrative structure is predictable, adhering to the usual com-rules: the cute beginning, the positive development, the mid-film crisis (very predictable), and the ever-present, obligatory happy ending. But it delivers: it’s not unexciting and Stupnitsky keeps the fun going.