Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose star in Love Hurts, an action-comedy that struggles with tone and character development despite impressive fight sequences and a star-studded cast.

In the new action-comedy Love Hurts, Ke Huy Quan plays Marvin Gable, a seemingly ordinary real estate agent with a dark, violent past as a hitman. But when that past comes rushing back to haunt him, Marvin finds himself tangled in a series of absurd and bloody confrontations.

The film, directed by Jonathan Eusebio—best known for his work as a stunt coordinator on films like John Wick—is an attempt at blending over-the-top action with dark humor.

However, despite its impressive action sequences and a star-studded cast, Love Hurts falters under the weight of an unfocused narrative and a lack of coherent comedic timing.

Quan, fresh off his Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All at Once, brings charm to the role of Marvin, a man trying to leave his violent past behind and make a peaceful living selling homes.

Yet, he’s pulled back into a world of death and chaos when his former life collides with his present one.

The film’s action sequences are brutal and elaborate, often involving everyday objects turned into deadly weapons—everything from boba straws to cookie cutters are wielded in increasingly absurd ways.

Though the choreographed fights are impressive, they often feel disconnected from the rest of the film’s tone, which struggles to balance comedy with violence.

While Love Hurts showcases some visually striking sequences, the film falls short of delivering on its comedic promise. At 83 minutes, the film breezes by quickly, but much of what is presented feels overly familiar.

With a premise that could have led to a clever and funny exploration of love, crime, and redemption, the movie instead dives into predictable, overused tropes.

The comedic pacing is off, and the film often feels as though it’s trying too hard to be both darkly funny and heart-pounding, but fails to find a successful balance between the two.

Ariana DeBose, fresh off her Oscar-winning role in West Side Story, plays Rose Carlisle, a femme fatale who becomes entangled in Marvin’s world.

While DeBose brings energy to the role, the character feels underdeveloped, with a thin backstory and little depth. Rose’s motivations are unclear, and her relationship with Marvin, which is supposed to be a key emotional element of the film, feels more forced than natural.

The dynamic between the two leads, despite their undeniable talents, never fully clicks, leaving the film’s attempts at romance feeling hollow.

Despite a strong supporting cast, including Sean Astin, who plays Marvin’s boss at the real estate agency, Love Hurts suffers from weak character development.

Astin’s performance offers a rare, touching moment amid the chaos, providing some emotional grounding in a film that otherwise leans heavily on cartoonish violence and hollow humor.

Marshawn Lynch, too, proves himself a standout, demonstrating comedic timing that adds some levity to the film’s otherwise dark tone.

However, these moments are few and far between, and the rest of the supporting characters come across as caricatures rather than fully realized individuals.

The film’s biggest issue, though, is its lack of direction. Eusebio, with his background in stunt coordination, excels at crafting exciting action sequences, but the overall vision of Love Hurts feels disjointed.

The film lacks a clear sense of purpose, bouncing between chaotic action scenes and attempts at humor that don’t always land.

The script, too, leaves much to be desired, with several subplots—such as the romantic entanglement between a goon and his poetry-writing assistant—feeling underdeveloped and tacked on.

The attempts to tie the film to Valentine’s Day with its various subplots about love feel forced and don’t add anything meaningful to the overall narrative.

Ultimately, Love Hurts is a film that seems like it could have been fun, but it never quite finds its footing.

While the action is impressive and the performances are solid, the film is weighed down by its lack of strong direction, unclear tone, and an over-reliance on violence and absurdity without the necessary comedic wit to make it truly engaging.

Fans of action-comedy may still find some enjoyment in the fight scenes, but for those hoping for a clever and well-crafted story, Love Hurts falls flat.

Rated R for strong, bloody violence and language throughout, Love Hurts is now playing in theaters. Despite its star power and a premise that could have been entertaining, the film ultimately misses the mark, offering little more than a brief, forgettable spectacle.

At only 83 minutes long, it feels as though Love Hurts spends more time trying to create a quirky, violent atmosphere than actually telling a compelling story.

For those interested in the talents of Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose, the film offers a few bright spots, but overall, it’s a missed opportunity to create something truly memorable in the action-comedy genre.

Love Hurts is a 2025 American action comedy film directed by Jonathan Eusebio, in his directorial debut, and written by Matthew Murray, Josh Stoddard, and Luke Passmore.

The film stars Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu, Marshawn Lynch, Mustafa Shakir, Lio Tipton, Rhys Darby, André Eriksen, and Sean Astin. Its plot follows a former hitman-turned-realtor who learns that his brother is hunting him when he reunites with his former partner.

Love Hurts was released in the United States on February 7, 2025, by Universal Pictures. The film received generally negative reviews from critics.