Love Hurts - Movie Review

Love Hurts takes us on the trail of Marvin, your average realtor who wasn’t average at all, until a ex partner in crime delivers a disturbing message. His crime lord brother has him entangled in a web of unresolved histories and threats, and Marvin finds himself trapped. Wise as he is, Marvin must confront his brother and the decisions that have cost so much, as he struggles on this perilous journey that is home.

The film is fate as much as it is redemption, loyalty, the inescapable burden of one’s past. The tone is action packed with bits of comedy spread out all over, making for either an emotional ride that makes your jaw drop or, in its milder moments, a comedic ride that just simply feels funny. Ow, Love Hurts is a humorous peek at the tenuous interdependence of personal progression and family legacy. The film makes a valiant attempt to ask whether a person can ever really run away from their past or if the past will always run a person down eventually.

Ke Huy Quan delivers a heart-wrenching performance as Marvin and does so with all the sincerity in the world. Ariana DeBose lends a warm endearing relatability to him, telling the poignant and funny path as it warrants with a firm hand, and blistered delivery. Daniel Wu’s Marvin’s crime lord brother is imposing but subtle, a strong illegal antagonist in the path of Marvin’s balance. With a cast consisting of an ensemble including Sean Astin and Mustafa Shakir the characters are textured and compelling, pulling in the audience with their world; Jonathan Eusebios direction guarantees that Love Hurts stays concentrated and energetic through the whole runtime.

All this reflects his thoroughly comprehensive cinematic vision, which, as much as anything, demands an ability to weave action-adventure and comedic beats together. In Love Hurts, the soundtrack doesn’t overpower the story at all; instead it complements and adds to the story so well. Looking for a because it underscores the emotional moments without overshadowing the dialog and the actors performances. The music is composed so the film’s tension and levity are reflected, and so the moods can shift while the pieces stay in motion with the pace.

Visually, the film is a gorgeous depiction of the both the serene suburbia and the more underbelly of crime. Lighting and color palettes are used by the cinematography to differentiate between the present and the past given in Marvins double life. Clear and stylish rendering of intense action scenes proves to be a dynamic viewing experience; the production design focuses on detail to make a believable world where an ordinary protagonist has to stabilize his ordinary life at a time of extraordinary challenges. Special effects are often reserved for Love Hurts action shots, which are enhanced by careful use. The sets are designed to match up with the story and with the characters mental landscapes. This practical effects emphasis helps provide a more realistic feel to the fights and chases, and is vital to giving more intense parts to the film a little more authenticity.

The editing of the film also flows, action and narrative arcs seamlessly into each other, preventing any lulls or confusion when the next scene starts. Love Hurts has this sharp editing that holds onto that momentum without downtime long enough to develop character and emotional beats.

Balancing action, comedy and drama is difficult, but Love Hurts does so to a large degree. Intentionality is good here, the action peaks at the right moments between lighter comic respites to bring you along but the dialog is sharp and often witty, serving at once as a narrative device and a source of comedy.

Love Hurts isnt a film blessed with too much action, but its ambitious to keep people engaged through their lighter comic respites, and it certainly succeeds here.

Love Hurts isnt Love Hurts hits most of the notes, but occasionally gets stuck in the tiresome grooves characteristic of the sophomore struggle of most films in its genres.

The character chemistry in the conversations between Marvin and his cohorts provides a necessary warmth and humor to keep the mood high. While some secondary characters were underdeveloped, the lack of development might have added some more depth to the story. And some of the comedic elements don’t always go well with the heavier themes in the film (although they’re not frequent).

Overall, Love Hurts is a pleasing viewing experience that perfectly mixes action with comedy and then digs into deeper emotional terrain. The film taps into its resonance because it takes the ability to force viewers to think about the never ending connection between past action and current consequence, all in a captivating and entertaining delivery. The movie makes you laugh, think and reflect what matters in life it a movie that keeps you engaged.