No Hard Feelings - Blu-ray Review

No Hard Feelings was one of the few comedies I looked forward to this year. The premise seemed fun, Jennifer Lawrence is likable, and it looked like an excellent raunchy R-rated comedy. Thankfully, the film has a lot of good laughs and amusing bits, but the film is not what you expect. No Hard Feelings is a much more serious film than advertised, with more dramatic moments than comedic ones. That isn’t to say it’s not a hilarious film (it is), but it’s not the laugh riot I expected based on the advertising.

Based on the “main love interest is out of the main character’s league” storyline, we know what will happen in the movie. We’ve seen how these films work and how things will play out. Yet, a surprising amount of emotion elevates this film from other raunchy comedies. The movie repeatedly touches your heart at the most unexpected times. It evolves into a tale of self-discovery and the surprising connection between two polar opposites. On the other hand, several quieter and heart-pulling scenes fall flat, leaving the film in dull territory.

Jennifer Lawrence shines in the lead and performs splendidly as the down-on-her-luck wild child, Maddie. Andrew Barth Feldman also does a wonderful job opposite her as the two prove that opposites can undoubtedly attract. The awkward moments between them are why the movie is as hilarious as it is.

Overall, No Hard Feelings is a raunchy dramedy that would’ve been better suited if it committed more to the comedy aspect than the drama. That’s not to say that raunchy comedies can’t also be dramas, but the fusion of those genres in this film doesn’t sometimes work. As a result, it wastes a lot of funny moments by following it up with some dull moments. Nevertheless, when the film decides to be funny, you’ll legitimately laugh out loud at the film’s many awkward moments.

Movie Review: 3/5 atoms

Video

No Hard Feelings hits Blu-ray with a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC HD presentation with a 1.85 aspect ratio. Brightness and black levels are steady throughout and natural-looking. Plus, there’s no noticeable bloom or crush found in the presentation. At the same time, the colors are bold and bright. The picture also features crisp detail and clarity in nearly every element on-screen, including environments and interiors, faces, and clothing. Also, the film grain is inconsistent, but the light grain fits the film’s overall look. Sony provided an excellent video presentation for this release.

Video Review: 4.5/5 atoms

Audio

No Hard Feelings hits Blu-ray with a 5.1 DTS-HD audio presentation. The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is nothing to write about, but No Hard Feelings offers a solid mix. Directional effects are accurately placed and reasonably engaging, though. Rear speakers appear when things get crazy but nearly disappear when they become dialogue-heavy again. The film has a vibrant soundtrack in which every song blasts from the speakers in a complete, well-balanced way. For a dialogue-heavy movie, dialogue remains crystal clear, even when hilarity ensues, and is neatly heard from the front channels.

Audio Review: 4/5 atoms

Special Features

No Hard Feelings hits Blu-ray with the following bonus features on the disc:

Outtakes & Bloopers
A Motley Crew: Meet the Characters
A Little Wrong: Making No Hard Feelings

Features Assessment

As you can see, this release has a few bonus features. The Outtakes and Bloopers is self-explanatory and is a pretty funny watch. A Motley Crew is a typical featurette where the cast talks about their characters and what attracted them to the project. A Little Wrong is another standard featurette where the cast and crew talk about their time working on No Hard Feelings. They primarily discuss working on an R-rated comedy, the on-set atmosphere, and working with director Gene Stupnitsky.

Special Features Review: 2/5 atoms

Overall, No Hard Feelings is a decent drama hidden within a hilarious, raunchy comedy. What works in the film works really well. On the other hand, what doesn’t work brings down the film. The video presentation is excellent, and the audio presentation is solid. Unfortunately, the bonus features are severely lacking in this release.

Overall Review: 3.5/5 atoms