Jennifer Lawrence’s No Hard Feelings Marks Return of the Sex Comedy Genre

The first trailer for Jennifer Lawrence’s R-rated new movie No Hard Feelings was released on March 9.

The sex comedy stars Lawrence as a cash-strapped woman who answers two wealthy parents’ Craigslist ad to sleep with their sheltered 19-year-old son before he goes to college — but “the kid is unf*ckable.”
 

 
Why it matters: No Hard Feelings became the most-watched trailer for an original comedy in its first 24 hours, with over 50 million views across all platforms.

The trailer for No Hard Feelings marks the welcomed return of the American sex comedy genre in 2023.

Context

• Despite her comedic abilities, Lawrence has never had an all-out comedy role and has frequently opted for dark dramas. In her most recent role in Causeway (2022), Lawrence played a soldier with a traumatic brain injury. No Hard Feelings signals a major tonal shift for the actress.

 

• There was a string of successful sex comedy films from the 2000s and into the early 2010s, which mostly centered around a male lead, such as The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005). However, following the #MeToo Movement, the sex comedy genre saw a downturn in recent years. No Hard Feelings marks the revival of the genre.

 

• No Hard Feelings is not the only female-led sex comedy due for release in 2023. Shiva Baby’s Emma Seligman and Rachell Sennott’s ten sex comedy Bottoms, which is about two girls who start a “fight club” in hopes of getting laid before they graduate, will premiere in March.