Jennifer Lawrence: "No Hard Feelings"

 This is a movie about three sociopaths, and the script asks us not to notice the "mental illness factor."

The characters played by Jennifer Lawrence, Matthew Broderick, and Laura Benanti all behave in an inexcusable way; as "penance," the Lawrence character is set aflame and tossed into the ocean (actually, tossed from the windshield of a speeding car). But an ocean can't turn a sociopath into a functioning person. You have to turn off your brain; just suspend disbelief.

I've heard that Jennifer Lawrence is perhaps unhappy with her career. The Ringer says that Lawrence has the charisma of Goldie Hawn 2.0; she should be doing comedies. But, for years, she was sandwiched into dreary, airless films ("Hunger Games," "X-Men"), and her few entertaining moments happened only in Fallon/Cohen/Letterman interviews.

I'd love to see more comedy from Lawrence; like many ticketholders, I was dazzled when the newest Lawrence character emerged from the sea and physically assaulted three snotty kids who were trying to steal her underwear. I also giggled during her job interview: "Do you want me to date your son or, like, DATE him? ...I will date the SHIT out of him."

Finally, I think Andrew Barth Feldman is inspiring--and yes, I've spent this week watching clips of his performance in "Dear Evan Hansen." (Oddly, "Hansen" is another script about a sociopath!)

Two thumbs up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P15S6ND8kbQ