‘Love Hurts’ Review – Brutal Affair With A Rom-Com Flare

Synopsis: No matter how hard you try, you can’t break up with your past. This Valentine’s Day, Oscar® winner Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Loki) rockets into his first major leading man role as an unlikely hero, a seemingly mild-mannered realtor with a dark secret that he is desperate to leave behind. Spoiler alert: He won’t.

Can we purposefully change a lifelong habit or are we merely cosplaying improvement? Can we truly become a better version of ourselves without an outside force influencing the metamorphosis? It should come as no surprise, the answer is up to you. However, what I can tell you is to learn from your past. If your past was indeed detrimental, allow it to mentally cement your transgressions, and avoid them in the future. If you want to change, you can. Take it one step at a time. But remember, if you worked for a criminal organization and abruptly quit, good luck. You better remember how to fight.

“Where is Rose?”

Sometimes you have to kick some ass, sell some houses, and make some cookies. Directed by Jonathan Eusebio, Love Hurts is a brutal affair with a rom-com flare. It’s action-packed, aesthetically vibrant, and full of comedic moments. Unfortunately, as the film progresses, it becomes a caricature-esque shell of what was promised. It’s brutal in more ways than one. What immediately works is Ke Huy Quan as the lead, Marvin Gable. Known for his charm, delightful disposition, and overall nice guy appeal, the Oscar winner is a perfect fit. Not to mention, he has a black belt in Taekwondo. The unconventional approach to making him the unsuspecting body-dropper is entertaining and probably more grounded than most know. Additionally, casting Marshawn Lynch is easily the next best decision made for this film. There are a few more bright spots but ultimately, its execution is lacking

Apart from its almost egregiously over-the-top characters and meager, practically non-existent amounts of love or romantic moments from its leads, Love Hurts could fit within the same vein as Nobody. The fight scenes are abundant and tell a visual story as Marvin’s secret past slowly and physically reemerges. Going from stun and disarm to arm breaking and killing, the creativity of the fight choreography is to be appreciated. Accented by comedic bits and witty banter, the action is somewhere between Rumble in the Bronx and Bullet Train with the ferocity of Kick-Ass. Underneath it all are universal themes and an abundance of heart, albeit blood-soaked.

“Hiding ain’t living.”

At its core, this is a story about standing up for yourself, identity, and redemption. It asks two major questions; how far would you go to get your life back? And what would you do to save the person you love? While both questions are answered, the latter never seems relevant. It never appears that Cupid hits anyone with an arrow. Love can’t hurt if no one is aware of it. The film sadly falls directly in the middle of the cinema spectrum, not terrible but also not great either. It can be enjoyed, it will be more like a joke rather than a serious action powerhouse. Its rewatchability is low.

Pace & Pop

Featuring a simplistic yet interesting premise, the film’s pacing is a hair too fast. The almost F1 speed doesn’t allow enough time for bonds to settle or enough backstory to develop the attributes it wants its characters to have. The story could’ve benefitted from an extra fifteen minutes. What popped for me was the performance of Marshawn Lynch. Not only does he continue to impress with each role he secures, but his ability to blend himself with the character works perfectly. His action scenes with Ke Huy Quan are the most entertaining, and he’s hilarious.

Characters & Chemistry

Starring: Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu, Sean Astin, Mustafa Shakir, Lio Tipton, Rhys Darby, Marshawn “Beastmode” Lynch, André Eriksen

Unfortunately, while this cast is filled with top talent and award winners, they can only carry so much. Besides King (Marshawn Lynch) and Otis (André Eriksen), the chemistry between the characters is less than great. While lead, Ke Huy Quan’s character, Marvin works perfectly for this story, the unexpected badass, the pieces around him don’t quite fit. There’s zero warmth between Quan and Ariana Debose’s character, Rose. The lack of fire leads to a visually awkward final moment. Additionally, Mustafa Shakir and Lio Tipton have some decent moments, however, it feels more forced than anything. Nevertheless, Shakir and Tipton do provide the film’s romantic comedy feel. The most natural and genuine exchange is between Quan and Sean Astin. More of them together would’ve gone a long way.

Love Hurts release in theaters February 7, 2025. Stay safe and bring back kindness.

Rated: R Runtime: 1h 23m Director: JoJo Eusebio Writers: Matthew Murray & Josh Stoddard and Luke Passmor Producers: Kelly McCormick, David Leitch, Guy Danella Executive Producer: Ben Ormand