No Hard Feelings' Director Has The Perfect Response To The Age Gap Criticisms

Jennifer Lawrence knew some would find "No Hard Feelings" offensive before the film was released, which is no doubt in reference to the R-rated romantic comedy's dirty language, gross-out scenarios, and explicit nudity. However, the aspect of the film that's drawn the most social media ire, The Hollywood Reporter noted, is the age gap between the lead characters, played by Lawrence and Andrew Barth Feldman.

In "No Hard Feelings," Maddie (Lawrence) — who is desperate need of a car to earn money to pay off a debt — answers an ad placed by a pair of helicopter parents (Laura Benanti and Matthew Broderick) to date their introverted son, Percy (Feldman), so he can learn some social skills before he goes off to college. Apart from the ruse happening without Percy's knowledge, the situation is made more awkward by the fact that Maddie, 32, must get intimate with Percy, 19, before his parents give her a car.

During the "No Hard Feelings" red carpet premiere in New York City, THR asked director and co-writer Gene Stupnitsky about the film's age gap controversy. In response, Stupnitsky said that Bradley Cooper's character is 15 years older than Lawrence's character in the 2012 romantic drama "Silver Linings Playbook," noting for THR, "It goes the other way, too."

In addition, Stupnitsky challenged audiences to actually see the film before making a judgment about the age gap. "If you feel that way when you come out of the movie, I would be surprised," the filmmaker told THR. "We took great pains to be careful about the ick factor because it could go that way... We took a humanist approach and I think that's all you can ask for."

Also attending the "No Hard Feelings" premiere was Natalie Morales, who stars in the film as Maddie's close friend, Sara. Addressing the controversy for THR, Morales called out the double standards of the criticisms by first pointing to a screen classic from 1967, in which an older woman played by Anne Bancroft seduced a much younger man played by Dustin Hoffman.

"Have you seen 'The Graduate?' [Jennifer Lawrence is] supposed to be playing an older woman [in 'No Hard Feelings']," Morales told THR. "There are so many movies where the male lead is much older than the female lead, and TV shows especially, and nobody bats an eye. So, what's the difference?"

Answering a question from THR about the age gap between "No Hard Feeling" stars Jennifer Lawrence's and Andrew Barth Feldman's characters in the film, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group CEO Tom Rothman said he never had any concerns.

Perhaps alluding to the crucial coming-of-age storylines for both of the film's lead characters, Rothman referred to the tender aspects of the film. "When you've done this as long as I have, you know it when you read it," the CEO told THR. "And it was not only very, very funny, it was very kindhearted and very sweet, and I thought the combination of the wit and the heart was very special. And I'm a huge fan of Jennifer's."

"No Hard Feelings" is currently playing in theaters.