A clever inversion of The Taming of the Shrew that delivers some laughs and heart, but is ultimately a mediocre comedy. If you were to take 10 Things I Hate About You, Never Been Kissed, and Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, invert the plot, then you’d have No Hard Feelings.
On the brink of losing her childhood home, a desperate woman (Lawrence) agrees to date a wealthy couple’s introverted and awkward 19-year-old son (Feldman) before he leaves for college.
The outside/action story is well-written, but the subplots are left to aimless wander throughout the movie. The central plot is well-structured, and the audience will be hooked, but the screenplay introduces ancillary characters and subplots that do nothing to advance the story in substance or form. Disappointingly, there is one particular subplot in the life of Maddie that is introduced but never truly revisited or resolved. Moreover, this event afforded the movie to provide thoughtful social commentary on how harboring unforgiveness is like drinking poison hoping that it hurts the other person, but fails to explore this timeless life lesson and theme. Likewise, there is a subplot introduced in the life of Percy that is expressed through an ancillary character, but it feels incredibly out of place and forced.
Another prominent theme and subplot in the movie is the idea of gentrification or being metaphorically and literally pushed out of your home because it’s been deemed highly desirable by the elite. We revisit this subplot throughout the movie, but it’s never truly explored. Such a fantastic opportunity to comment on resilience and serve as a cautionary tale of what happens when neighborhoods are wiped off the map, but it only serves as a shallow plot device.
What the movie lacks in thoughtful social commentary in the subplots and themes, it makes up for in the excellent chemistry between Jennifer Lawrence (Maddie) and Andrew Feldman (Percy). The strength of this subversive romcom can be found in the vulnerability and rawness of the central characters of Maddie and Percy; moreover, both Lawrence and Feldman bring an infectious, entertaining energy to their respective characters caught up in one of Shakespeare’s more endearing and thought-provoking plots. While the movie won’t likely find itself one that will be revisited for years to come, it is sufficiently funny and heartfelt for a weekend afternoon at the cinema or for an evening at home.
If you want to laugh, this movie will do the trick! Clearly the lead characters are having fun with their respective roles, and that enthusiasm is felt by the audience.
Ryan teaches Film Studies and Screenwriting at the University of Tampa and is a member of the Critics Association of Central Florida and Indie Film Critics of America. If you like this article, check out the others and FOLLOW this blog! Interested in Ryan making a guest appearance on your podcast or contributing to your website? Send him a DM on Twitter. If you’re ever in Tampa or Orlando, feel free to catch a movie with him.
R.L. Terry ReelView 