Ke Huy Quan has been having fun with fairly a renaissance following his career-saving position in All the things All over the place All at As soon as. The previous baby actor now has an Academy Award on his resume, which has led to some TV alternatives — together with becoming a member of the MCU with Loki — in addition to a number of upcoming tasks on the 2025 film calendar. The primary of those is Love Hurts, an motion comedy co-starring fellow Oscar winner Ariana DeBose, and forward of its launch in theaters on February 7, critics had the possibility to provide it a watch. Let’s see what they must say.
In Love Hurts, Marvin Gable (Ke Huy Quan), a hitman-turned-realtor, sees his previous come again to hang-out him when his former associate Rose (Ariana DeBose) reveals that Marvin’s brother, crime boss Knuckles (Daniel Wu), is coming after them. In CinemaBlend’s evaluate of Love Hurts, Eric Eisenberg says Ke Huy Quan shines on this position, however DeBose is just too typically saved hidden. The actors’ attraction is in the end overshadowed by generic motion on this entertaining, however underwhelming flick. He provides it 2.5 out of 5 stars, writing:
It has a definite and welcomed taste within the subgenre of ‘peculiar man seems to be an elite ass-kicker,’ and it has an efficient buoyancy that may partially be credited to the charisma of its two largest stars, but it surely’s too brisk for its personal good and leaves an excessive amount of on the desk. I shock even myself bemoaning brevity in an age of bloat, however Love Hurts can be simply too skinny to do all the pieces that it needs to do.
Ke Huy Quan has mentioned Steven Spielberg influenced his choice to just accept this position, and David Worry of Rolling Stone agrees Quan deserves an opportunity to showcase his expertise in a number one position, however this “lazy motion flick” isn’t it. Love might harm, Worry says, however not as a lot as watching an incredible actor caught in a nasty film. The critic continues:
A inventory riff on the ol’ former-killer-dragged-back-into-the-life situation, this star automobile for Quan couldn’t really feel extra D.O.A., even when the star himself gamely tries to inject life into it at each alternative. The combination of behind-the-camera pedigree, name-above-the-title novelty and the actor’s newly minted ass-kicking persona ought to have made this a surefire mixture of thrills, spills, humor and mayhem. What’s onscreen, nevertheless, simply seems like plenty of poorly choreographed chaos masquerading as an motion film. Followers of the style may need to contemplate suing for false promoting.
Practically all the critics appear to be praising Ke Huy Quan, however lamenting the truth that he deserves a script with extra for the Oscar winner to work with. A.A. Dowd of IGN provides Love Hurts a “Unhealthy” 4 out of 10, saying the film doesn’t do as a lot as different very comparable (and higher) films to make the “cuddly” Quan really feel darkish sufficient to have as soon as killed individuals for a dwelling. Dowd continues:
The motion within reason nicely choreographed – hardly a shock, coming from Jonathan Eusebio, a veteran combat coordinator making his directorial debut. However as a comedy, Love Hurts is fairly stale; when not trotting out dopey crime-flick caricatures, it’s merely leaning on the supposed hilarity of a sunny home hunter with a secret expertise for breaking bones. You’ve seen many variations of this premise, and higher ones, too.
Pete Hammond of Deadline says the forged of Love Hurts — significantly the leads, however the supporting actors as nicely — do what they’ll with the script they got, but it surely’s not sufficient to save lots of this violent Valentine’s film. Hammond says:
Quan will get his first main position right here and definitely demonstrates his Jackie Chan-like ability at martial arts, impressively dealing with all of the motion in type. Chemistry with co-star DeBose is missing, however on her personal she does what she will with the underwritten femme fatale position she is handed right here. Each these gifted stars deserve so significantly better than this forgettable materials. Among the many supporting forged, Shakir turns from vicious hitman to love-sick pet on a dime in amusing vogue, and it’s enjoyable to see Quan’s Goonies co-star Sean Astin flip up as his actual property mentor, if solely briefly.
Mae Abdulbaki of ScreenRant has a extra complimentary view of the movie total, saying it falls into “so dangerous it’s good” territory with its campiness. It’s so foolish, excessive and corny that Abdulbaki couldn’t assist however chuckle out loud. The critic provides Love Hurts a 6 out of 10 and writes:
Love Hurts manages to be entertaining. There’s manner an excessive amount of exposition and intrusively distracting voiceovers from Quan and DeBose that inform us precisely what’s on their characters’ minds in the intervening time. The tone and subplots (and even a number of the modifying) are far and wide, but it surely’s additionally campy goodness which you can’t assist however be tickled by. It’s a foolish form of dangerous that I might get on board with.
Any moviegoers trying to get pleasure from their subsequent dose of Ke Huy Quan might need to mood their expectations. Whereas he provides a worthy effort — in addition to the remainder of the forged — critics appear to collectively suppose the script doesn’t stay as much as Quan’s potential. That doesn’t imply it may possibly’t be loved anyway, and if Love Hurts sounds just like the film for you, catch the film in theaters beginning Friday, February 7.