Breathing fresh life into the world of R-rated studio comedies, Sony’s recent release, No Hard Feelings, has been making significant strides in the global box office. A little more than 10 days post its launch, the movie has exceeded the $50 million mark globally, paving the way to potentially become the most profitable original R-rated studio comedy since Good Boys from 2019. Interestingly, both these movies share a common thread – the director, Gene Stupnitsky, who was earlier recognized for his contributions to NBC’s The Office, along with his production partner, Lee Eisenberg, before becoming the guiding light of raunchy film creation.
The film, No Hard Feelings, showcases the acting talent of Jennifer Lawrence, who also dons the hat of a producer under her banner, Excellent Cadaver. The movie has managed to rake in $31 million in the US and an additional $20 million from overseas markets, taking its overall tally to a robust $51 million. To offer a comparison, Good Boys ended its run with $83 million from domestic markets and an impressive $111 million globally. Both movies, while well-received, sparked controversy. Good Boys, with its portrayal of pre-teen characters indulging in mature, expletive-ridden behavior, and No Hard Feelings, centered around a young woman agreeing to ‘date’ an overly protected teenage boy at his parents’ request, faced criticism for promoting sexual grooming. Stupnitsky, while addressing these critiques with The Hollywood Reporter, reassured audiences that meticulous measures were taken to manage the ‘ick factor’, promising a different experience after viewing the film.
No Hard Feelings currently enjoys a ‘fresh’ 69% score on the review aggregator, Rotten Tomatoes. Nate Richard from Collider lauds Lawrence’s performance in his review, complimenting her comedic prowess, both in her dialogue delivery and physical comedy. He noted that her daring on-screen acts were extremely successful.
The film signifies a slight detour for the Academy Award-winning actress, Lawrence, who took a two-year break after spending a considerable period in the franchise domain. At the London premiere, she shared that the script, penned by Stupnitsky and John Phillips, was the most humorous she had come across and simply too irresistible to turn down. Her co-actor, the emerging talent, Andrew Barth Feldman, paused his academic pursuits at Harvard to join this project.
Could this be a Harbinger for the Revival of Raunchy Studio Comedies?
Films in the vein of No Hard Feelings are rarely designed for theater release in recent times, with most R-rated comedies being redirected straight to streaming platforms. This sub-genre arguably saw its prime over a decade ago, with Judd Apatow-inspired productions frequently hitting box-office gold. Some of these movies generated over $200 million globally, peaking with Seth MacFarlane’s Ted, which amassed over $500 million worldwide in 2012. The forthcoming film, Joy Ride, seeks to leverage this revived interest in adult-oriented comedies, set to release in theaters this Friday. A red-band trailer for No Hard Feelings can be viewed here, and stay tuned to Collider for further updates.
To summarize, No Hard Feelings has demonstrated the potential for R-rated comedies to thrive at the box office. Its successful run, coupled with positive reviews, may signal the comeback of adult-centric, humorous content. The movie industry will be keenly watching audience responses to the upcoming Joy Ride and similar films to determine the future trajectory of this genre.
