Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- "Love Hurts" offers laughs and action but lacks a strong storyline.
- Ke Huy Quan's performance stands out, balancing humor and action effectively.
- The film's excessive violence and weak acting limit its overall appeal.
"Love Hurts" is not a great movie — but it is a fun one.
Positioned as an anti-Valentine's Day flick, the film throws romance into the mix but only as fuel for an over-the-top, ultra-violent spectacle. It's the kind of movie designed for couples who prefer their date nights with blood splatter instead of candlelight.
The premise is as ridiculous as it sounds. A mild-mannered realtor (Ke Huy Quan) gets caught in a whirlwind of chaos involving video rental store owners who double as crime bosses. Before long, he's fending off entire armies with nothing but a pencil.
The story is weak, and the film knows it. It exists purely to showcase absurd action set pieces and dark humor jokes.
The good
For all its flaws, "Love Hurts" does land some solid laughs and delivers some truly impressive fight choreography. The action sequences are inventive and relentless, making good use of absurd weapons and wild stunts.
But the real highlight of the film is Ke Huy Quan. He absolutely steals the show, bouncing between his character's two extremes — the unassuming real estate agent just trying to close a sale and the ruthless hitman capable of taking on anyone at a moment's notice. His comedic timing is excellent, and while the rest of the cast occasionally struggles to sell the film's exaggerated tone, Quan manages to be both hilarious and (somehow) believable in the insanity.
The bad
The story? Almost nonexistent. The film's main goal is to get from one violent showdown to the next. While that's fine for what it's trying to be, it means there's little emotional weight or narrative depth to the film.
"Love Hurts" doesn't want you to care about the plot; it just wants you to enjoy the ride.
The bigger issue is the acting. Beyond Quan, much of the cast delivers performances that feel forced or cringeworthy, pulling the audience out of the film's bizarre world rather than immersing them in it. When a movie is already teetering on the edge of ridiculousness, weak performances only make it harder to stay invested.
What parents should know
"Love" Hurts fully earns its R rating. The violence is excessive and often cartoonish, but it's still packed with blood, broken bones, and brutal fight sequences. The language is equally heavy, with expletives flying almost as frequently as bullets.
This is not a movie for kids, or for anyone with a low tolerance for over-the-top action.
Conclusion
This isn't a movie that will stick with you, and it's not one that demands a lot of thought, but it is an entertaining, fast-paced, 90-minute distraction. The humor hits more than it misses, the action is undeniably fun, and Quan makes the most of every second he's on screen.
Is it a good movie? No. Was I smiling through most of it? Yeah. And sometimes, that's enough.
"Love Hurts" is rated R for strong/bloody violence and language throughout.
