'Love Hurts' review: Ke Huy Quan throws some punches in breezy action-comedy
Courtesy of Universal
One thought that was creeping through my head during “Love Hurts” surprisingly brisk 83 (!) minute runtime: I’m so thrilled for Ke Huy Quan.
After his wild Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor, Quan entered what I like to call the “Oscar-to-Blockbuster” portal—a trajectory not far removed from when Brie Larson headlined “Captain Marvel” after her win for “Room,” or Alicia Vikander's attempt at launching a franchise with “Tomb Raider.” It happens: sometimes an actor just needs to take the paycheck. But that doesn’t mean Quan phones in his performance. On the contrary, he’s surprisingly believable as the "John Wick"-type assassin—busting through walls, taking hits from Marshawn “Beastmode” Lynch, and landing a few solid punches. Oh, and did I mention the movie is only 83 minutes long?
It's a miracle that “Love Hurts” even manages to stay afloat with a script as overstuffed and undercooked as this one, but Quan, in his first leading role, makes the most of it. He’s joined by fellow Oscar winner Ariana DeBose (who has also entered and exited the “Oscar-to-Blockbuster” portal, see “Kraven the Hunter”). Quan, the former “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” child star, plays Marvin Gable, a cheerful Milwaukee real estate agent who has built a successful reputation in his community.
However, his flawless image is threatened when his past resurfaces after he receives a Valentine’s Day card from Rose (DeBose), a woman he was supposed to kill years ago. Rose had been wrongly accused of embezzling money from Marvin’s drug lord brother, Knuckles (Daniel Wu, who also starred in Tomb Raider with Vikander). Marvin, out of affection for Rose, spared her life and told her to disappear.
She didn’t take the advice, and now she’s back, throwing Marvin’s comfortable life into disarray and triggering a series of events that involve several intertwining plotlines. Among them is a run-in with two bumbling hitmen (one of whom is played by Lynch) and Marvin’s best friend, played by Quan’s fellow “Goonies” alum, Sean Astin.
Directed by Jonathan Eusebio, with a script by Matthew Murray, Josh Stroddard, and Luke Passmore, “Love Hurts” stands out as one of the rare recent action comedies (sorry, “Argylle”) that doesn’t look like it was filmed entirely in front of a green screen. The action is fast, loose, and in-your-face, with the filmmakers clearly drawing inspiration from Jackie Chan films.
While “Love Hurts” never reaches the heights of a “Police Story” movie, it certainly captures that spirit. Add in some memorable character performances from Mustafa Shakir, Cam Gigandet, and the always hilarious Rhys Darby, and you’ve got a solid studio picture that will likely find a home on late-night cable.
Grade: B-
LOVE HURTS is now playing in theaters.
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