No Hard Feelings (2023)

Plot Summary of No Hard Feelings (2023)

The movie begins with Gary, a tow-truck operator, arriving at Maddie Barker’s house to repossess her car. Maddie tries to appeal to Gary emotionally, reminding him of their past romantic relationship before she abruptly cut off contact. Her attempt fails when a man she had a casual encounter with the night before appears half-naked and makes crude advances toward her. Gary tows the car away anyway.

Because Maddie works as an Uber driver, losing her car is devastating. She chases Gary on rollerblades and catches up with him while he’s stopping for breakfast. She tries to lower her car and drive off, forgetting it’s still attached to the truck. The failed attempt lands her in legal trouble, adding to her problems. Soon after, Maddie receives notice that she owes a large amount in back taxes, putting her childhood home in Montauk—where she has lived her entire life—at risk.

Maddie also works as a bartender at a seaside bar alongside her friend Sarah and Sarah’s husband Jim. Her boss criticizes her confrontational attitude after she argues with a customer who demands a drink before opening hours. During a break, Sarah shows Maddie a peculiar job listing: a wealthy couple is seeking a “companion” for their socially awkward son before he leaves for college, offering a Buick Regal as payment.

Maddie understands the implication but, desperate for a solution, agrees to pursue the job. She rationalizes her decision by blaming wealthy people for her financial struggles. She meets the parents, Laird and Allison Becker, who explain that their son Percy is set to attend Princeton in the fall. Percy is shy, introverted, has no friends, and spends most of his time playing video games. Although the parents initially wanted someone closer to Percy’s age, Maddie convinces them she’s right for the job. They insist Percy must never know about the arrangement.

Maddie tracks Percy down at a dog shelter where he volunteers. Dressed to impress, she pretends to be interested in adopting a dog. Percy introduces her to Milo, a former police dog retired due to a cocaine addiction. Maddie’s forward behavior makes Percy uncomfortable, and he tries to leave early. She offers him a ride home in Jim’s van, but upon arrival, Percy panics and sprays her with mace. After she recovers, Maddie admits she found him attractive. Percy, flustered but honest, asks for a real date—and she agrees.

Later, Maddie returns the van and tells Sarah and Jim that Percy is unattractive. She takes Percy to a bar where she knows the staff and orders him a Long Island iced tea, which he hates. While there, Travis, Maddie’s ex, appears, flaunts his wedding ring, and warns Percy not to get emotionally attached to her.

Maddie later takes Percy skinny-dipping at the beach. Though hesitant, he joins her. Their clothes—along with their wallets, phones, and keys—are stolen by three drunk teenagers. Maddie confronts them completely unclothed, fights them, and retrieves their belongings. Percy, disturbed by her behavior, questions whether something is wrong with her.

When Percy realizes he left his phone behind, he climbs onto the hood of Maddie’s car. She drives off with him clinging to it, leading to a police chase. Maddie speeds across a railroad crossing just ahead of an oncoming train, causing the police to lose track of them.

Trying once again to seduce Percy, Maddie brings him to her house and performs a provocative dance. The mood shifts when she notices a rash on his back. Percy opens up about his past, explaining how classmates mocked him for sleeping in his parents’ room and spreading rumors about him. Maddie listens, rubs lotion on his back, and shares an awkward story of her own.

Maddie is later approached by Doe Khan, a former classmate turned real-estate agent, who offers to sell her house at full market value. She refuses, determined not to give up. Percy then invites Maddie on a real date. She accepts sincerely this time, and they enjoy an arcade date, winning prizes until they are kicked out due to Maddie teasing another child. They end the night at a lighthouse, where Percy finally gathers the courage to ask Maddie for a kiss.

She agrees, and though Percy is a bit awkward, they share the moment. During their conversation, Maddie reveals that she has never left Montauk and has continued to reside in her family home with her mother. She explains that her father provided them with the house and some money to ensure they wouldn't disrupt his new family's life.

Subsequently, they pay a visit to Jody, Percy's former male nanny. Jody's intuition picks up on an unusual atmosphere around Maddie, but she retorts, playfully teasing him about the peculiarity of a grown man working as a nanny for a teenage boy.

At a later time, Maddie and Percy embark on a dinner experience at an upscale restaurant, creating their own version of a prom date to compensate for missing their respective proms. Discovering Percy's piano-playing skills during their conversation, Maddie persuades him to showcase his talent. With newfound confidence, he takes the stage, performing the song "Maneater." The entire restaurant becomes their audience, and his performance elicits cheers and applause. Equally taken aback, Maddie finds herself impressed as well.

A fellow student named Natalie approaches Percy, extending her admiration for his performance and revealing her own plans to attend Princeton in the upcoming autumn. Natalie extends an invitation to Percy for a gathering intended for future Princeton attendees. In response, Maddie attempts to dissuade him from attending, expressing concerns that he might become involved intimately with Natalie or another young woman.

Despite Maddie's reservations, Percy asserts his desire to attend the event. Arriving at the party in a limousine, Maddie begins her search for Percy, navigating through a crowd of pretentious adolescents who consider her presence incongruous due to her age. After a determined quest, Maddie locates Percy in a compromised state, lying beside Natalie. However, Percy's condition is far from well; he is unwell due to alcohol consumption and an intake of ibuprofen.

Maddie takes it upon herself to assist him in inducing vomiting. Their efforts are interrupted when the host's parents enter the scene and instruct Maddie to depart. In an effort to protect her, Percy accidentally punches Maddie in the throat. After they go, Percy declares that he is prepared to have sex with Maddie in the limo, but when he confesses his love to her, she sees he is too inebriated and declines to comply.

Laird and Allison observe Percy's increased enthusiasm and sociability—qualities he ascribes to his recent romantic relationship. Nonetheless, Percy confides in them that he has altered his plans and decided against attending Princeton, opting instead to remain in close proximity to Maddie. A call is placed by Allison to Maddie, who is now wrestling with reservations regarding her commitment to the job. Laird assures Maddie that she can retain possession of the car without maintaining the relationship as a means to prevent Percy from relinquishing his plans for Princeton.

Regrettably, Percy is situated within his parents' vehicle and inadvertently triggers the audio system, tuning into their conversation. In this unintended eavesdropping, he catches wind of Maddie's desire to retain the car without the necessity of an intimate relationship, leaving him deeply saddened.

Inviting Maddie over for lunch as a means of her meeting his parents, Percy proceeds to indulge in their wine selection and adopts a passive-aggressive demeanor. Subsequently, he joins forces with his colleague, Crispin, to enact a plan involving the Buick. Venturing into the woods, they tamper with the vehicle, placing a rock onto the gas pedal and orchestrating a collision with a tree that results in the tree collapsing onto the car.

In order to get things over with, Percy and Maddie decide to have sex when he gets back to the house. However, before he can even get inside her, he ejaculates on her thigh. He claims to be well-informed and to no longer be interested in seeing Maddie, predicting that she will eventually spend the rest of her days in Montauk.

At a later point, Gary delivers the battered Buick to Maddie, given that her name is listed on the documents. Consequently, she finds herself compelled to continue her Uber responsibilities using her dilapidated vehicle, while Percy retreats to his room, engrossed in video games, and remains unresponsive to Maddie's texts and calls.

Once Maddie eventually accumulates sufficient funds to repair her car and settle her taxes, she joins Jim and Sarah in a celebratory moment. Yet, their elation is tempered by Jim and Sarah's announcement of their imminent relocation to Florida, driven by the impending arrival of their baby. Overwhelmed with disappointment, Maddie comes to the realization that she is destined to confront solitude.

Subsequently, Maddie gets in touch with Dot and elects to accept his proposition to facilitate the sale of her house. She transfers ownership to Jim and Sarah, allowing them to establish a home for raising their baby, and concurrently, she initiates preparations for her own relocation to California.

Discovering Percy's presence at a Princeton gathering, Maddie takes it upon herself to locate him. However, he persists in his silence, remaining unresponsive as she endeavors to clarify her situation. In a mirror image of his past action, she positions herself atop the hood of his vehicle, but he speeds away with her gripping on. Their impromptu journey leads them along a shoreline where Maddie becomes inadvertently engulfed in flames from a barbecue grill.

The escapade culminates with Percy plunging the car into the water. Overwhelmed by panic, he frantically searches for Maddie until they both exchange tearful apologies. Following their reconciliation, Maddie discloses her intention to relocate to California, a decision that Percy wholeheartedly supports. He also assures her that, despite the circumstances, he considers their intimate experience as a significant milestone in his life.

On the day earmarked for his departure to Princeton, Percy readies his luggage and bids adieu to Laird and Allison. Maddie makes an unexpected appearance, poised to chauffeur him to his destination before embarking on her own journey to California. To Percy's astonishment, she unveils a surprise: the inclusion of Milo, a new addition to her life.

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Full Movie Recap of No Hard Feelings (2023)