Love Hurts is a light movie with a Valentine’s Day setting, light on romance, funny, and heavy on action! The film rests on the charm and energy of lead, Ke Huy Quan, he has of course a background as stunt coordinator for the Hong Kong sci fi picture, The Avenging Fist (2001). It has the power of Hong Kong action movies on the John Wick scale. The stunt coordinator is Can Aydin who was the assistant fight coordinator of The Fall Guy (2024). The film is directed by Jonathan Eusebio, his first time directing a movie, he was second unit director for the action comedy, Violent Night (2022). It is written by Matthew Murray who co-wrote the horror film, Sheltered (2010) with Josh Stoddard, the writer of the martial arts series, Warrior.
The other part of the writing team includes Luke Passmore who also wrote the superhero thriller, Archenemy (2020). Love Hurts has a Valentine’s Day theme, but strangely, there is no “Love Hurts” song by Nazareth or any of the artists, Roy Orbison, Cher, or Joan Jett, who sung or covered it! ‘We see a mysterious woman get off a bus and sees a bench ad for real estate agent, Marvin Gable (Quan). Quan is known for his Academy Award winning performance as Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). This film rests on his likeability and martial arts skill. He has emphasized that he did all of the fighting, but not all of the stunts. This is his first lead role. I wonder why there is no last name change, no mention of his parents in the film. She takes a sharpie to draw a mustache on the ad.
At home, Marvin shows his prowess in the kitchen baking cookies and there are dynamic shots of him pouring vegetables from the pov of a pot. The domestic life given martial arts action! He puts on his bike helmet to ride through a perfect suburbia. At Emerald Springs, we see his realtor sign for Marvin and its tagline, “I want to find a home for you.” A kind and helpful realotor. Next to it is his rival, Jeff Zaks (Drew Scott), with his tagline, “Fighting for you.” Scott is a co-host with his twin brother of the Property Brothers show so this is a twist for him. Marvin also notices a moustache on his sign so rubs it off blaming Jeff. Then, the couple, the Reebers, drive up to see the house. Chet (Adam Hurtig) and Sherry (Stephanie Sy) represent the married relationship for the film. Hurtig was in another holiday themed comedy, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024). Sy was Sugarplum in Violent Night. Marvin shows them around the house and gives them his spiel mentioning having the freedom to help them find their new house.
Marvin arrives at the office, busy with workers, and offers them heart shaped cookies. It is decorated with heart decorations, but not in the Valentine’s Day spirit is Marvin’s assistant, Ashley (Lio Tipton), and she threatens to quit. Riddle of Fire (2023) starred Tipton. Marvin finds in his mail, a Valentine’s Day card that read, “With Love”, and finds in it, “I’m Back!” This causes him to panic and he takes the card to his office with frosted windows. Once, he enters Marvin is knocked out. The tolerance of pain varies, but this is the spirit of marital arts comedies. Marvin wakes up at his desk with a knife through his left hand! His tormentor is Raven (Mustafa Shakir) who had written a book of poetry that was also on the desk. who was sent by Knuckles. Shakir was Monte Jackson in Ghosted (2023), an action comedy.
Raven is looking for Rose and says, “You watched her breathe her last breath.” Marvin manages to free himself from the knife and fight Raven, a whirling fight with Raven using throwing knives, but the fight is hidden by the windows. Ashley checks on her boss who through a crack in the door explains that he was doing high intensity yoga. Marvin returns to the fight and manages to knock out Raven, but slides a pillow so he can softly land on the floor. He doesn’t restrain the assassin, but instead heads out to meet with the owner, Cliff. The actor may be a surprise cameo so I won’t spoil it. Cliff wears a cowboy hat and presents Marvin with a Realtor of the Year plaque. Marvin asks to borrow Cliff’s car and outside in a jeep, are two more dangerous men. Otis (André Eriksen) and King (Marshawn Lynch). Eriksen starred in Violet Night. Lynch was in the comedy, Bottoms (2023), he is credited in the film as Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch!
Otis’ wife has kicked him out of the house again. He has the broken relationship and King tries to give him advice. These are the basic relationships and Valentine’s Day connection of the film. The two assassins with one comic relief makes me think of Anthony Anderson’s henchman, Maurice, in the Jet Li film, Romeo Must Die (2000). There are similiarities with this movie’s plot. At a video store complete with martial arts film titles is the big boss, Knuckles (Daniel Wu), in the American Born Chinese show (which also starred Quan), Wu played The Monkey King. Knuckles orders his assistant, Merlow (Cam Gigandet) to get Otis and King to follow Marvin. Gigandet was in the action movie, 72 Hours (2024). Outside, Merlow contacts them and adds that Rose has the money. Marvin enters his house and eyes an amethyst heart on a mantle. Marvin faces Otis and King and their fight is frantic with the plaque thrown into a microwave and Marvin’s face shoved into a refrigerator.
Marvin’s fighting style uses improvised items like Jackie Chan in movies like Rumble in the Bronx (1995). The film is also similar to the John Cusack action comedy, Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) which had an assassin in the suburbs. Marvin knocks out Otis and manages to get outside. King follows, but is tased by Rose Carlisle (Ariana DeBose). Keira was played by DeBose in the comedy action movie, Argylle (2024).
Four Cookies out of Five!
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