Ke Huy Quan brings his boundless charm back to Hollywood’s action mainstream, in this riotous action-comedy about a chipper real estate agent with a dark secret.
Marvin Gable (Quan) is ia happy-go-lucky successful real estate agent in his small town. Beloved by the locals, Gable hides the dark secret that he was once a violent hitman. But one day, Gable receives a note from an old enemy who he once loved, he’ll have to once again bring out the violence he swore to leave behind.
With an assist from his old partner Rose (Ariana DeBose) whom he once left to die, Gable hilariously attempts to maintain his new gentle life while fighting off the numerous nunchuk-wielding ghosts from his past, including his bloodthirsty brother Knuckles (Daniel Wu) whom he has unfinished business with. Gable may be a loving man, but his love is about to hurt.
In the post-John Wick era, there’s been a huge resurgence of star-driven freewheeling action films. And while Love Hurts doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel, the effervescent lovability of star Ke Huy Quan catapults this trailer to a rollicking good time. Quan, keeper of Hollywood’s biggest puppy-dog eyes, excels as a man genuinely trying to move on. His true remorse and self-guilt anchors the film’s goofiness, channeling the inner pathos of action greats like Jackie Chan and Sylvester Stallone.
The trailer’s action is top-notch, blending modern Wick-esque action choreo with prop-heavy setpieces evoking 80s martial arts films. The supporting cast is clearly having a ball, especially a motor-mouthed Marshawn Lynch as one of the film’s heavies. It’s a familiar man-on-the-run setup, but when done as cheerily as this, there’s really no way to complain.
If Love Hurts’ marketing can ride the tongue-in-cheek line without veering into parody, it could lead to a surprise mega-hit for Universal Pictures next Valentine’s Day.
Directed by Jonathan Eusebio in his directorial debut, Love Hurts will release theatrically in the United States on February 7 .2025. The movie stars Ke Huy Quan in the lead role.
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