Ke Huy Quan is a national treasure, and his new action movie Love Hurts shows just what he’s capable of. Unfortunately – and this is going to sting a bit – the film itself doesn’t quite live up to its potential.
From his turn as Short Round in Indiana Jones and Data in The Goonies to his breakout performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once (that led to a well-earned Oscar), Quan is the actor we’re all rooting for.
It’s not just his movie roles that contribute to this. Off screen, he’s an absolute sweetheart (Dexerto knows this first-hand, having interviewed him ahead of the premiere), and he throws himself into any project he works on.
This rings true for Love Hurts, a directorial debut from John Wick stunt coordinator Jonathan Eusebio. If you’re here for the high-octane fight sequences and Quan performing his own stunts, you won’t be disappointed. Just don’t expect much from the story.
What is Love Hurts about?
The film follows Marvin Gable (Quan), a former hitman who has forged a new life for himself as a successful realtor. However, his violent past comes back to haunt him when he receives a Valentine’s Day letter from an old flame named Rose (Ariana DeBose).
Before Gable has time to collect his thoughts, his estranged brother Knuckles (Daniel Wu) seeks to hunt him down. The premise is classic action-thriller fare, with familiar themes of betrayal and redemption running throughout. But the story and its pacing are exactly where Love Hurts falters.
The first 10 minutes will give you proverbial whiplash, rushing through a whole movie’s worth of details: Marv’s life story, Rose’s relevance, a knife-wielding poet named The Raven (Mustafa Shakir), and an inexplicably significant purple crystal are all shoehorned in.
It’s a lot to take in, leaving little to no room to really connect with the characters in a meaningful way. Key details are glossed over, leaving them feeling like explanations rather than genuine character development.
Marv is thrown into what are supposed to be high-stakes situations, but with no emotional setup, any genuine tension just isn’t there.
Ke Huy Quan is still an icon
Universal PicturesDespite its shortcomings, Quan undeniably shines in Love Hurts. As he told Dexerto, he was influenced by the 80s Hong Kong action movies he grew up with led by stars such as Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung.
But rather than sit back and let a stunt performer take the reins, Quan spent months training so he could take part in the choreography himself, and it pays off in droves, adding an authenticity that elevates the movie.
From throwing punches and kicks like a pro to using hilarious props to take out the bad guys (his heart-shaped cookie cutter gets put to good use), it’s clear Quan isn’t just in it for the paycheck.
His effort is palpable, and even though the story – written by Matthew Murray, Josh Stoddard, and Luke Passmore – doesn’t quite match, his charisma and commitment to the role can’t be argued.
DeBose works well with Quan, bringing a solid presence to the film as Rose, even when the script doesn’t give her much to work with.
The real treat for fans, however, is the Goonies reunion: Sean Astin stars as Marv’s friend and realtor boss Cliff, reuniting the stars for the first time in four decades. Love Hurts might not rank high in the best movies of 2025, but this nostalgic touch is bound to leave a smile on your face.
High-impact action, low-impact storytelling
Universal PicturesDirector Eusebio, known for his work as a fight choreographer, makes his directorial debut here, and his expertise is on full display.
The action sequences are undoubtedly the highlight of Love Hurts, with fluid choreography and some surprisingly gory violence (it’s rated R, and you’ll soon see why).
Eusebio has a strong eye for action and his direction shows promise. I’d be curious to see what he could accomplish with a more fleshed-out script in future projects.
But for now, the new movie swings hard but lands with a thud. Speaking of which, although it crosses over into the comedy genre, the humor, for the most part, falls flat.
Knuckles constantly sipping boba could have been a fun quirk, but it overstays its welcome. Then there’s the rambling interactions between Otis (André Eriksen) and King (Marshawn Lynch), which will elicit a snortle at best but never serve up anything fresh.
Universal PicturesIn the end, Love Hurts proves that Quan has the action chops to lead a film – but just like love, great action movies need more than just passion.
Love Hurts review score: 2/5 – Below Average
At the end of the day, Love Hurts is simply forgettable action fare. The fight sequences and choreography are impressive, and Quan proves once again that he’s a force to be reckoned with, but it’s let down by a weak story and underdeveloped characters, not to mention its bewildering pace.
That being said, if you’re here for the brutal fight scenes and nostalgic reunions, you’ll find something to enjoy. Just don’t expect a knockout.
Love Hurts lands in cinemas on February 7, 2025. Until then, check out the new movies coming to streaming this month and our ranking of the best films of 2024.
For more information on how we score TV shows and movies, check out our scoring guidelines here.
