Marvin (Ke Huy Quan), a realtor, is drawn back into his life of crime when he receives a threatening Valentine from Rose (Ariana DeBose), his former accomplice. Together, they must save themselves from Marvin’s crime lord brother while uncovering the truth behind a robbery that occurred years ago.
Love Hurts is an action-comedy with a hint of romance. Although marketed as a “Valentine’s Day” date night movie, it’s actually more suitable for streaming on a Sunday morning. There is absolutely nothing exciting about this film. Despite some action, it feels somewhat thoughtless but can serve as excellent background noise while doing chores.
The story is interesting. It follows a man who, after leading a life of crime, decides to turn his life around and become a real estate agent in the suburbs. When a former colleague, who he is secretly in love with, returns to town, they must work together to save themselves. Unfortunately, despite Quan’s charming personality and Debose’s cool demeanor, there is a noticeable lack of chemistry between these two Oscar winners. As a result, the romance in the film falls completely flat.
The action in the film is decent, with a few notable sequences; however, nothing stands out as truly memorable. The attempt to incorporate comedy fell flat, as most of the jokes didn’t hit their mark. The highlight of the movie was definitely Marshawn Lynch’s one-liners, which really stole the show.
This film prioritizes action over storytelling. When a movie revolves around a theme like Valentine’s Day, one would expect a stronger connection to that theme. Although Quan’s character expresses his love for Debose, and there is an intriguing subplot involving his secretary that deserved more screen time, the movie only minimally engages with the holiday theme. As a result, it feels dull and lacks coherence.
If Love Hurts had committed to a specific genre or embraced the holiday theme, we might be discussing a better movie. There’s very little romance, and the comedy fails to deliver, resulting in a lack of depth that makes this film only worth watching once.
You can see Love Hurts in theaters February 7th, 2025… Or you can just wait for it on streaming.
Review: Love Hurts
Score
Review Nation Score
If Love Hurts had committed to a specific genre or embraced the holiday theme, we might be discussing a better movie. There's very little romance, and the comedy fails to deliver, resulting in a lack of depth that makes this film only worth watching once.
