On Valentine’s Day every year, the cinemas experience an influx of love-focused movies. This past year, we got something different than the typical film that has been seen in Valentine’s Days’ past. On Feb. 7, “Love Hurts” (directed by Jonathan Eusebio) was released into movie theaters all over the country. It’s not your traditional romcom, but an action flick that is all style over substance that creates a movie just bearable enough to sit through its 84-minute runtime.
The film centers on a happy go-lucky realtor named Marvin. Around Valentine’s Day, he receives a letter from a woman in his past. This letter opens a door to his life he closed years ago: a time when he was working for his violent crime lord brother. He must fight those against him to help the girl he loves while not jeopardizing his new career and life he worked so hard to build.
Taking the title literally, “Love Hurts” is predominantly a martial arts film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The script is riddled with unrealistic, but intense, action sequences. People survive ridiculously harsh blows and miss too many bullets to be logical, but it still maintains its entertainment value. However, the script relies too much on these physics and biology defying scenes. It feels like all the effort of the film led to a bad, cringey action flick that couldn’t possibly take itself too seriously.
The screenplay is poorly written and badly thought out. It is riddled with cliches that even Academy Award winning actors can’t make sound decent. What is humorous isn’t so for long, as bits can be overdone and drag out to the point of unfunny. Characters are undeveloped with some actions and plot points being unrealistic and unbelievable.
The strategic placement of clever quips and one-liners amidst all the action do aid in maintaining the audience’s interest level. Nonetheless, the action and comedy are not enough to save what is ultimately, and objectively, a bad film.
The film stars Ke Huy Quan as Marvin, who is best known as the kid from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” as well an as Oscar winning performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” His on-screen persona is captivating, and, dare it be said, adorable. You can’t help but root for him when his character is a selfless do-gooder. Marvin’s role does not require anything emotionally challenging, but Quan handles the fight sequences like a pro. It feels like the film relied a lot on the likeability of Ke Huy Quan… which worked as well as it could have considering the film’s numerous issues.
Quan shares the screen with another Oscar winner, Ariana DeBose. Seeing her in an action film as someone known for her musical talent was exciting, but she did not meet the expectations. She let the screenplay get the best of her, as she is borderline cringey in her role as Rose, Marvin’s love interest. Criminal duo King and Otis (played by Marshawn Lynch and André Eriksen, respectively), the men set out by a crime boss to go after Marvin, are one of the best parts of the film. They provide most of the comedic relief with their mishaps and shenanigans, contributing to the chaos of it all. With Marshawn Lynch as a standout between the two, and amongst the whole cast, the duo has excellent chemistry.
Drew Scott of “The Property Brothers” and Sean Astin of the “Lord of the Rings”franchise also have small parts in the film. Their appearance definitely makes the film more entertaining since it’s not only a fun surprise but furthers the implication that the film is one of a lighthearted, serious nature.
“Love Hurts” is a fun, but unfortunately, bad film that barely saves itself with entertaining humor and action. “Love Hurts” is now playing in select theaters and available to buy/rent on digital.
