Love Hurts

Marvin Gable (Ke Huy Quan) seems to be a simple successful real estate agent. His past crush Rose Carlisle (Ariana DeBose) comes back into his life and it is quite a past.

I really wanted to love this for Ke Huy Quan. In the end, I cannot proclaim this although he is not the problem. Basically, he is the same guy as always and with a moustache, he is an evil assassin. This movie is trying to be some sort of fun action thriller. The characters are all cardboard cutouts. Ariana DeBose can do better. Maybe it's not the page. The action is fine, but I got bored with it to the point zoning out a couple of times. That's even with a quick running time.

I liked this film. It didn't blow me away, but it was entertaining -- fast-paced, humorous, and filled with great martial arts action sequences. The performances were all great too -- a lot of great supporting characters, and I am never going to say no to a Ke Huy Quan film. But even though Ariana DeBose did a fine job as Rose, I can't help feel that the studio should have gone with a more seasoned actress for this role. For someone who was supposed to be Quan's love interest, there was a noticeable difference between the two leads' ages. They're more than 20 years apart in real life, and it shows. It's not that this kind of May-December romance isn't possible, but it's distracting -- even a little creepy. Whoever cast this film would have done everyone a favor by bringing in someone who seemed a more natural love interest for Quan, rather than just being Hollywood's most recent "it girl."

Love Hurts is a straightforward action film with a touch of drama, but make no mistake-this is a "one-man army" kind of movie. It's the type of film that thrives on plot armor, where the protagonist is outnumbered but somehow manages to take down everyone in his path. Is it better than John Wick? Definitely not. Is it better than Nobody? Not really. But does it beat some of Jason Statham's more forgettable action flicks? Surprisingly, yes.

The story itself is simple, almost too simple. At 83 minutes (credits included), it knows when to wrap things up without overstaying its welcome. But even with its short runtime, the pacing feels uneven. There's an unbalanced mix of action and drama, with the middle part of the film filled with repetitive dialogues that stretch out the story instead of adding depth. The film had the opportunity to introduce more compelling subplots but chose not to, leaving certain moments feeling dragged out rather than dynamic.

One of the biggest frustrations is how the film teases a truly interesting character, only to cut away just when things get exciting. There's a moment where you expect an intense, game-changing sequence, but instead, it's skipped entirely. It becomes a classic case of "tell, don't show," which feels like a missed opportunity.

That being said, Ke Huy Quan brings something fresh to the action genre. He's not your typical tall, muscular action star, but he nails his role in a way that feels both cheeky and authentic. He's quick, agile, and entertaining to watch. And while the plot armor is undeniably strong, at least the film acknowledges that his character, Marvin Gable, is human-he takes hits, gets knocked down, and even bleeds. This adds some believability to his fights, making them more engaging.

However, Marvin Gable as a character feels a bit two-dimensional. We get glimpses of his past, but not enough to truly understand who he is or why he's being hunted. There's potential for a deeper backstory, but instead of expanding on it, the film keeps circling around the same few details. It feels like it's dragging itself down with repetition rather than moving forward with meaningful character development.

Ariana DeBose, on the other hand, brings plenty of energy as his partner-in-crime. She's witty, charming, and completely self-serving in the most entertaining way possible. She's chaotic, but not quite Harley Quinn levels of crazy-more like a playful, opportunistic wildcard. She adds a layer of fun to the film, making her scenes a highlight.

As for the action, it's not as gory as John Wick or Nobody, but it's still brutal enough to satisfy action fans. The choreography is slick, yet somewhat goofy-kind of like Kick-Ass, where the fights blend both realism and over-the-top action. Not every hit lands perfectly, not every move is executed flawlessly, and that imperfection actually adds to the charm.

The film also tries to introduce a unique element with "love letters" as a recurring theme, tying it to a Valentine's vibe. But while the idea is interesting, the execution feels underwhelming. The letters don't add much emotional weight, and instead of feeling special, they come across as just another detail in the film.

Verdict: Love Hurts is a quite fun but flawed action film. The performances, especially from Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose, bring life to the story, and the fight sequences are enjoyable in a raw, slightly clumsy way. But the uneven pacing, lack of depth in the protagonist's backstory, and missed opportunities hold it back from being truly great. It's entertaining for what it is, but don't expect anything groundbreaking.

Set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Marvin Gable (Ke Huy Quan) is seemingly a successful realtor who will help you find your dream home. However, following an encounter with an assassin known as the Raven (Mustafa Shakir), Marvin finds his new life under threat from his old one as the re-emergence of his last kill, Rose (Ariana DeBose), whom he didn't actually kill puts him on a collision course with his estranged gangster brother Alvin "Knuckles" Gable (Daniel Wu).

Love Hurts is the latest genre film from 87North Productions, better known for their production of the John Wick series of films that helped redefine modern action cinema. The film marks Ke Huy Quan's first lead role following his Oscar winning comeback in Everything Everywhere All at Once and while I think Quan is perfectly capable of headlining a film like this, I just wish it were a more interesting one.

While Quan doesn't have the richest role as Marvin, I will say that there is sort of a meek charm at watching this small unassuming realtor unleash martial arts fury upon hoards of would be assassins. If Jackie Chan (at his peak anyway) could be described as Buster Keaton with martial arts, Quan's style is more akin to Harold Lloyd where there's a bit more of an edge to the disaster prone hi-jinks. Honestly during the opening 20 minutes I didn't really understand why the movie had been so panned by critics as some of the physical comedy seemed on point and the fight scenes had the typical 87North quality....but then the movie started to lose me. Running at only 87 minutes long the movie isn't unaware of what it is and gets right to the point, but that's kind of part of the problem as there isn't a lot of time spent developing character or setting up the circumstances.

When you compare Love Hurts to 87North's other comedic action film Nobody which had a solid and efficient first act establishing the mid-life stagnation of Bob Odenkirk's character that set up effective contrast to the more outlandish elements later on, Love Hurts dives in way too fast and we don't really get a chance to know the characters beyond the surface level. The movie encounters further issues with Ariana DeBose' Rose and the actions taken by her character which the movie tries to frame as being for Marvin's benefit but because we never took time to establish Marvin's life we don't know that and it seems like she's nuking his new life because "why not?". The movie per its title also tries to paint itself as a romantic unconventional Valentine's Day film clunkily establishing a romance between Marvin and Rose along with Marshawn Lynch's King and Andre Erisken's Otis discussing marital problems or Marvin secretary Ashley played by Lio Tipton falling for poetic assassin Raven played by Mustafa Shakir and while occasionally there's a sequence that works, most of it just feels limp especially in comparison to 87North's The Fall Guy which mixed action and romantic comedy much more effectively. Even the usually reliable fight work loses integrity in the final act as there's a disappointing number of cuts and close-up shots that make the final fight so underwhelming.

Love Hurts isn't without some charms (most of them courtesy of Quan), but the film never fully comes together in alive in a way the marketing promises and it feels like a half-hearted remix of prior 87North productions that did similar things much more successfully. Quan's more than capable of headlining a film like this, I just wish the film itself were better.

Ah, Valentine's Day. Love is in the air, chocolate is everywhere, and fights ensue every five minutes. Great holiday.

The biggest draw to this movie is likely going to be Ke Huy Quan, beloved 80's kid star and recent Oscar winner. He is clearly giving it his all, both acting- and action-wise, with a performance I can best describe as friendly, making Marvin Gable someone you'd root for no matter what. Everyone else in the movie does well as well, with the other notable standout being Ariana DeBose as Rose. Other than a few lines that feel a bit over-the-top, she brings a fun presence to the movie.

The other big sell, the action, is another reason that's worth the price of admission. Director Jonathan Eusebio, known for stunt coordination on several other projects including John Wick, manages to make the fights a joy in every situation. The camera isn't steady all of the time, but unlike most shaky cam, it works in a way to make the fights feel chaotic while still maintaining a clear sense of what is going on. It also helps that there are several unique setpieces to the fights, including the weaponry of choice by Mustafa Shakir's character The Raven.

Besides the leads and the action, the story is admittedly very light. While the trailer's hook is interesting, there isn't much going on in the plot save for one minor subplot that isn't expounded upon, but I thought had a neat little payoff for all the little details throughout. It does work to the movie's favor as a quick 80-minute action flick, but those hoping for more substance will undoubtedly be disappointed. The other criticism I have is that there are several moments of handholding throughout. There will be a focus on an object or setpiece, then a character will say something to the effect of "I can use this" or "Ah, I recognize this" rather than letting the visual cues clue the audience in.

If you can look past the empty-calorie story, I recommend this, especially if you're looking for a Valentine's Day date at the movies. It's an easy watch that pairs well with a dinner afterward. Not much else Valentines-themed this month anyway. Unless you like slashers, in which case Heart Eyes may be more up your alley.