Love Hurts (2025) tries to blend genre tropes and high-octane action into something fresh, but instead delivers a movie that feels like it’s going through the motions. There are flashes of potential, but the film never rises above its derivative bones. Ke Huy Quan proves he can lead an action film in this vein, but the film ultimately doesn’t deserve his talents.
‘Love Hurts’ Movie Review
Love Hurts is a misfire of a star vehicle that tries to capitalize on Ke Huy Quan’s post-Everything Everywhere All at Once momentum but ultimately collapses under the weight of its weak script, flat world-building, and a scattershot tone that leaves most of the cast feeling stranded in different movies. Directed by Jonathan Eusebio and produced by 87North Productions—the same team behind Bullet Train, The Fall Guy, Violent Night, and Nobody—this Valentine’s Day-themed action movie wants to be stylish and subversive but mostly comes off as gimmicky and undercooked.
Quan stars as Marvin Gable, a Milwaukee realtor trying to leave a criminal past behind, only to be dragged back into chaos when he receives a crimson letter from his ex-partner-in-crime Rose (played by Ariana DeBose). What follows is a convoluted series of shootouts, betrayals, and run-ins with Marvin’s estranged, kingpin brother Knuckles (Daniel Wu), as Marvin attempts to balance his civilian life with a sudden resurgence of violent reckoning.
There are flickers of fun here, mostly in the over-the-top action scenes that turn open houses into stylized battlegrounds. Ke Huy Quan proves he can hold his own in the lead of an action flick, and his physicality brings surprising punch to the role. Eusebio, a stunt coordinator-turned-director, knows how to stage a brawl, and the fight choreography is occasionally clever, especially in the first act. But that energy quickly dissipates.
The bigger issue is the film’s tone, which never finds a comfortable groove. Every character seems to be playing it differently—some going for pulpy noir, others veering toward self-aware camp, and a few playing it straight like they’re in a gritty revenge drama. The result is narrative dissonance, where no one performance feels grounded in the same world. That lack of cohesion extends to the story, which tries to build a criminal underworld mythology in the same vein as Nobody or John Wick, but without any of the depth or intrigue those films manage to generate.
Despite the high-gloss production and the involvement of a talented team, Love Hurts doesn’t offer much that’s memorable. The Valentine’s Day theme is a throwaway gimmick, and the movie feels more like an experiment in “let’s see if Quan can lead an action movie” than a fully realized story. That may work for a few viewers with adjusted expectations, but it’s unlikely to leave a lasting impression.
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In the end, Love Hurts tries to blend genre tropes and high-octane action into something fresh, but instead delivers a movie that feels like it’s going through the motions. There are flashes of potential, but the film never rises above its derivative bones. It’s not the worst action film of the year, but it’s certainly one of the more forgettable.
Score: 4/10
Love Hurts (2025)
- Cast: Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu, Mustafa Shakir
- Director: Jonathan Eusebio
- Genre: Action, Comedy, Romance
- Runtime: 83 minutes
- Rated: R
- Release Date: February 7, 2025
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