Love Hurts But What a Sleepy Mess

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“Reservoir Dogs” unleashed a crush of Quentin Tarantino copycats in the 1990s.

The movies had a sleek and trendy appearance, yet they seemed to fall short of Quentin Tarantino’s vast talent pool. This deficiency was quite evident. Oh boy, was it noticeable!

Currently, the creators responsible for “Nobody” are aiming to replicate its success by crafting another story featuring a retired assassin enticed to return to his old ways.

Nothing doing.

The film “Love Hurts” casts Ke Huy Quan as a likable real estate agent hiding a troubled history, but the weak script fails to deliver for both him and his fellow actors.

In a different wording, Quan portrays Marvin Gable, a meek real estate agent who enjoys baking cookies and views his profession as a divine blessing. He’s known for his kindness and politeness, making him the ideal boss that most people would appreciate having.

As it turns out, Marvin’s past isn’t as idyllic as it appears. His wicked sibling Knuckles (played by Daniel Wu) aims to eliminate Marvin’s former love interest, Rose (Ariana DeBose, who has recently starred in two less-than-successful productions, including “Kraven the Hunter”). It falls on Marvin to prevent this, while continuing to maintain his Real Estate persona.

It takes more energy for three writers to brainstorm catchy character names compared to crafting compelling stories and characters. Regrettably, everything presented is either monotonous or underdeveloped, with the performances mainly echoing repetitive ideas that fail to hold our attention effectively.

Yes, we know that Knuckles will kill anyone who steals his money. Isn’t that Gangster 101 anyway?

As a cinephile, I must confess that in “Nobody,” the filmmakers cleverly concealed the protagonist’s bloody past until the very last moment. This shocking revelation was reminiscent of watching James Bond casually dispose of an adversary – all thanks to Bob Odenkirk’s surprising action chops!

In this narrative, Marvin’s “disclosure” occurs quite early, reducing some suspense and leaving minimal room for further development in the plot.

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An unusual bond forms between Marvin’s aid, Leo Tipton, and a member of the Knuckles gang known as The Raven (played by Mustafa Shakir, a standout performer). This relationship is so silly it warrants some pain relief medication. Unfortunately, the remainder of the plot doesn’t improve much.

As a film enthusiast, I must confess that the connection between Marvin and Rose seems more like acquaintances than lovers, reminiscent of two people who just happen to find themselves sitting next to each other on a crowded subway. It’s high time their acting talent is put to good use in more engaging scenes!

In a more natural and easily understandable way, we could say: “Quan is brilliantly chosen for his role as a timid character with a hidden violent side. However, the portrayal of these aspects isn’t fully convincing. It would be interesting to delve into the reasons behind Marvin’s prolonged struggle with his darker instincts.

In simpler terms, Director Jonathan Eusebio’s experience as a stunt coordinator in the past effectively masks certain shortcomings. The action sequences are fast-paced and consistent, and some of the action set pieces are enjoyable to watch. However, this becomes less engaging over time, and the film “Love Hurts” concludes at a concise 83 minutes which feels satisfying.

So why does it feel like an endurance test to watch?

We’ve grown accustomed to spectacular action sequences, but “Love Hurts” doesn’t bear the blame for this. Instead, our expectations have simply risen, and the movie falls short in meeting them.

It’s amusing to witness Marvin acting so vigilantly over a framed Real Estate award, making an already absurd movie even more preposterous. Most outrageous action-comedies contain a hint of authenticity, but “Love Hurts” fails to deliver this aspect.

Rhys Darby and Sean Astin appear for a short while but fail to leave a lasting impression. Despite their efforts, they were given limited material to develop in a tale that ends in an unsurprising climax, lacking the necessary depth and intrigue.

Quan’s triumphant return to Hollywood culminated with him winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for “Everything Everywhere All at Once”. This tale is simply inspiring, deserving to be told on the silver screen by itself.

He deserves a better follow-up vehicle than this.

Title Analysis: “Hit or Miss”: The movie “Love Hurts” is chaotic and confusing, with attempts at humor falling flat as it struggles to build momentum.

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2025-02-06 20:05