It’s been a minute since we had a proper, hard-R studio comedy that didn't feel like it was trying too hard to be "important." Most of the time, these movies sink or swim based on one thing: the chemistry. When you look at the no hard feelings movie cast, it’s a weirdly perfect mix of an established A-lister, a Broadway prodigy, and a bunch of character actors who know exactly when to steal a scene. Honestly, if Jennifer Lawrence hadn’t found the right kid to play opposite her, the whole thing would have collapsed into a cringe-fest.
The premise is basically a throwback to the 80s. A desperate woman in her 30s is hired by wealthy parents to "date" their socially awkward 19-year-old son before he heads off to Princeton. It sounds like a premise that shouldn't work in 2023. But it does.
Jennifer Lawrence and the Art of the Physical Gag
Jennifer Lawrence plays Maddie Barker. You’ve seen her do the "serious" thing in Winter’s Bone and the "blockbuster" thing in The Hunger Games, but here she’s just feral. It’s a performance that relies heavily on her ability to look completely unhinged while trying to be sexy.
Maddie is a Montauk local, a "beach bum" who is losing her childhood home because of rising property taxes and the influx of "wealthy tourists" who treat the town like their personal playground. Lawrence brings this jagged, desperate edge to the role. It’s not just about the jokes; it’s about that specific kind of working-class anxiety. She’s broke, her car is getting reposed, and she’s literally rollerblading to jobs.
What’s wild is that Lawrence actually produced this. She read the script by Gene Stupnitsky—who wrote for The Office and directed Good Boys—and basically said this was the only thing she wanted to do. She knew that the no hard feelings movie cast needed a lead who wasn't afraid to look stupid. Whether she’s getting into a full-on naked brawl on a beach or failing to flirt with a teenager, she’s all in.
Finding Andrew Barth Feldman
If Lawrence is the engine, Andrew Barth Feldman is the steering wheel. He plays Percy Becker.
Finding someone who can play "awkward" without being "annoying" is surprisingly hard. Feldman was a massive get for this movie. Before this, he was mostly known in theater circles for playing the lead in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway when he was still a teenager. That stage background is obvious here. He has this incredible physical control over his body—he can make his limbs look like they don't quite belong to him.
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Percy isn't just a nerd. He’s a kid who has been smothered by his parents to the point of paralysis. He doesn't go outside. He doesn't have friends. He spends his time volunteering at an animal shelter and playing video games. The dynamic between him and Lawrence works because he’s playing the "straight man" to her chaos.
There’s a specific scene where he’s playing the piano and singing "Maneater" by Hall & Oates. It starts as a joke, but Feldman actually sings it with so much sincerity that it becomes the emotional turning point of the movie. It’s one of those rare moments where the no hard feelings movie cast shows its depth beyond the raunchy humor.
The Helicopter Parents: Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti
You can't have a story about a "failure to launch" without the people who built the rocket wrong. Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti play Laird and Allison Becker, Percy’s parents.
Broderick is wearing a wig that is almost a character in itself. It’s great to see him lean into this role of a wealthy, clueless dad who thinks he can solve his son’s social anxiety with a Craigslist ad. Benanti, a Tony winner, plays the mother with this high-strung, "I just want him to be happy" energy that is secretly terrifying.
They are the ones who initiate the plot. They offer Maddie a Buick Regal in exchange for "deflowering" their son—though they use much more polite, euphemistic language. Their performance highlights the class divide in the film. To them, Maddie is a service they are purchasing. To Maddie, they are a ticket to keeping her house.
The Supporting Players Who Round Out the No Hard Feelings Movie Cast
A lot of the laughs come from the edges of the frame. Maddie’s friends, Sara and Jim, are played by Natalie Morales and Scott MacArthur. They provide the "voice of reason" that Maddie constantly ignores.
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- Natalie Morales: She’s been a staple in comedies like Parks and Recreation and Dead to Me. She plays the pregnant friend who is exhausted by Maddie’s life choices.
- Scott MacArthur: You might recognize him from The Mick. He has this great, dry delivery that balances out the more slapstick elements of the film.
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach: Before he was winning Emmys for The Bear, he showed up here as Maddie’s ex, Gary. He’s only in a few scenes, but he plays "angry local guy" with a very specific, recognizable intensity.
Kyle Selig also makes an appearance as a guy Maddie tries to pick up at a bar early on. It’s a small world in this movie; Selig and Feldman are both Broadway vets. It gives the whole production a very tight-knit, polished feel despite the messy subject matter.
Why the Casting Matters for the Movie's Success
Usually, comedies like this fail because the actors feel like they’re "above" the material. You’ve seen those movies where a big star looks embarrassed to be doing a fart joke. That doesn't happen here.
Lawrence and Feldman have a genuine rapport. By the end of the film, you actually believe they are friends. It stops being about the "arrangement" and starts being about two people who are both stuck in their lives for different reasons. Maddie is stuck in the past; Percy is terrified of the future.
The no hard feelings movie cast was built around the idea of contrast. You have the loud, brash Maddie versus the quiet, internal Percy. You have the wealthy Beckers versus the struggling locals. Even the setting of Montauk serves as a character—the tension between the "year-rounders" and the "summer people" is the backdrop for everything that happens.
Real-World Context and Trivia
Interestingly, the movie is based on a real Craigslist ad that the producers saw. Someone actually tried to hire a woman to date their son.
- Chemistry Reads: Feldman was a student at Harvard when he got the call to audition. He actually had to take a leave of absence to do the movie. Lawrence said in interviews that she knew within seconds of his audition that he was the only one who could do it.
- Stunt Work: Lawrence did most of her own stunts, including the infamous beach fight. She wanted it to look real and clumsy, not choreographed.
- Directorial Vision: Gene Stupnitsky pushed for the R-rating. He felt that the "PG-13" version of this story would feel dishonest and watered down.
The film performed reasonably well at the box office, which is a miracle for an original comedy these days. Most of that is credited to Lawrence's star power, but the word-of-mouth mostly praised the performance of the no hard feelings movie cast as a whole.
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What You Should Do Next
If you haven't seen the movie yet, it’s worth a watch just to see the comedic timing between Lawrence and Feldman. It’s currently streaming on various platforms like Netflix (depending on your region) and available for rent on Amazon and Apple TV.
If you're a fan of the actors, check out these specific projects to see their range:
- Andrew Barth Feldman: Look up his performance in Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical or his guest spot in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
- Natalie Morales: Watch Plan B on Hulu, which she directed. It has a similar "raunchy but heartfelt" vibe.
- Gene Stupnitsky: If you liked the humor, go back and watch Good Boys. It captures that same feeling of "innocent people in very R-rated situations."
Understanding the no hard feelings movie cast gives you a better appreciation for why the film works. It’s not just a collection of funny lines; it’s a group of high-caliber actors treated a silly premise with complete sincerity. That is the secret sauce for any comedy that wants to be more than just a 90-minute distraction.
Don’t just watch for the slapstick. Pay attention to the smaller moments between the Beckers. Look at how Broderick plays the "nice guy" who is doing something fundamentally weird. Watch how Lawrence’s face changes when she realizes she actually likes this kid. That’s where the real movie is.
Check out the blooper reels if you can find them. The improvised lines between Lawrence and MacArthur are often just as funny as what made the final cut. It’s clear the set was a collaborative environment where the actors were encouraged to play with the dialogue. That comfort level translates directly to the screen.