One of the biggest comedy movies of recent years finds second life on Netflix

Stephen Porzio

Though the film caused some controversy upon release, it did well at the box office and with critics and is finding a new audience on streaming.

Jennifer Lawrence’s hit raunchy comedy No Hard Feelings is finding a second life on Netflix.

Recently added to the streaming giant, the 2023 movie sees the Oscar-winning actress play a bitter 32-year-old on the brink of bankruptcy.

Searching job listings, she learns that a pair of wealthy helicopter parents (Laura Benanti and Matthew Broderick) are looking for someone to ‘date’ and seduce their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), so that he will be ready for college.

“To her surprise, Maddie soon discovers the awkward Percy is no sure thing,” the plot synopsis.

Upon its release, No Hard Feelings sparked some headlines over its age-gap premise and a scene where a fully naked Lawrence fights a group of teenagers who stole her character’s clothes as she was skinny-dipping with Percy.

You can watch a censored version of the scene below:

Despite the controversy, the film was a hit upon release and was liked for the most part by critics – with particular praise going to Feldman and Lawrence’s performance, its gags and its surprisingly emotional screenplay.

And since being added to Netflix last week, the comedy has climbed up the streaming giant’s movie chart – suggesting it is finding a new audience.

You can read some of the positive reviews for No Hard Feelings below:

The Atlantic: “Thank goodness for No Hard Feelings, in which Lawrence looks like she’s having the most fun she’s ever had on-screen, finally releasing the pent-up screwball energy she’s never been able to fully channel into her characters before.”

Detroit News: “There’s humor and heart in No Hard Feelings, an R-rated sex comedy that has more on its mind than just titillation.”

Empire: “Much better appreciated as an unlikely friendship story than the raunchy comedy it’s billed as, No Hard Feelings is formulaic but fun, fuelled by the lead pair’s engaging chemistry.”

Entertainment Weekly: “No Hard Feelings is a welcome addition to a dwindling genre — and a reminder that Lawrence is one of Hollywood’s best (and funniest) leads.”

Newsday: “Questions abound – about sex, class and basic morality – and an R-rated comedy like this one might seem ill-equipped to handle them. What a pleasant surprise, then, to find that the movie has more going on under its hood.”