• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
André Eriksen, Ke Huy Quan) and Marshawn "Beastmode" Lynch, star in a scene from the movie "Love Hurts." The OSV News classification, A-III -- adults. Motion Picture Association rating, R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (OSV News photo/Universal Pictures)

Movie Review: ‘Love Hurts’

February 7, 2025
By John Mulderig
OSV News
Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

NEW YORK (OSV News) – A Valentine’s Day-themed martial arts movie? It seems an unlikely recipe.

Yet enjoyable humor and a touch of romance do increase the appeal of the otherwise frenetic actioner “Love Hurts” (Universal). A barrage of obscenities in the script, as well as fleeting forays into visual grisliness, are less welcome elements.

Much of the comedy derives from the contrasting lifestyles pursued by the film’s protagonist, Marvin Gable (Ke Huy Quan). When viewers first meet Marvin, he’s a mild-mannered Milwaukee real estate agent. But Marvin, it turns out, has a hidden past as a gangster and skilled assassin.

At the behest of his kingpin brother, Alvin, aka Knuckles (Daniel Wu), Marvin was long ago supposed to rub out another member of Knuckles’ gang, Rose (Ariana DeBose). But Marvin was secretly in love with Rose and so spared her life on the condition that she disappear for good.

Now, Rose suddenly resurfaces and embroils Marvin in a plan to vanquish Knuckles. As a result, Marvin has no choice but to revert to his former rock ’em sock ’em ways.

A subplot linking Marvin’s world-weary secretary, Ashley (Lio Tipton), with The Raven (Mustafa Shakir), a hulking killer whose avocation is writing introspective poetry, also serves to keep the mood light. But we’re soon back to the choreographed mayhem that takes up the bulk of the running time in director Jonathan Eusebio’s production.

Indeed, there are more hands being deployed than held in “Love Hurts,” and more hearts being stopped than exchanged. A few smiles aside, accordingly, this is a perfectly routine — and easily forgotten — exercise in chopsocky, knife-wielding and gunplay.

The film contains much stylized but often harsh violence with some gore, a few gruesome images, about a half-dozen profanities, a few softer oaths, pervasive rough language, as well as occasional crude and considerable crass talk. The OSV News classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Read More Movie & TV Reviews

NBC’s Tom Llamas says Catholic education deepened his faith, pushed him to always do his best

Videogame Review: ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’

superman

Movie Review: ‘Superman’

sorry baby

Movie Review: ‘Sorry, Baby’

Jurassic World Rebirth

Movie Review: ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’

Movie Review: ‘M3GAN 2.0’

Copyright © 2025 OSV News

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

John Mulderig

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Hunt Valley parishioner recalls her former student – a future pope

  • Father Robert Wojsław dies at 52

  • Deacon Gary Elliott Dumer Jr., active in men’s ministry, dies

  • Quo Vadis attracts biggest crowd ever, promotes camaraderie and faith

  • NBC’s Tom Llamas says Catholic education deepened his faith, pushed him to always do his best

| CURRENT EDITION |

CR digital edition

| Vatican News |

A sower of light in the shadows

Filled with hope, Christians know cries of the innocent will be heard, pope says

Pope calls for ceasefire, dialogue, peace after church hit in Gaza

Stop the hatred; humanity is at stake, Pope Leo says in video message

New Catholic scouting patch honors Pope Leo XIV

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

| Movie & Television Reviews |

NBC’s Tom Llamas says Catholic education deepened his faith, pushed him to always do his best

Videogame Review: ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’

superman

Movie Review: ‘Superman’

sorry baby

Movie Review: ‘Sorry, Baby’

Jurassic World Rebirth

Movie Review: ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’

| En español |

‘No tengan miedo de hacer lo que El Señor quiere para nosotros’

Dios quiere ayudar a las personas a descubrir su valor y dignidad, dice el Papa

El ‘Padre Migrante’ nos relata su vida sirviendo a comunidades inmigrantes

El ‘Obispo Bruce’ forjó fuertes lazos con Baltimore en tiempos difíciles y tenía corazón de pastor

El Papa León comienza su pontificado pidiendo una ‘Iglesia unida’ en un mundo herido

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Pope Leo XIV champions media literacy
  • Whatever the genre, Dion’s music still focuses on life’s larger questions
  • A sower of light in the shadows
  • When it comes to serving students with disabilities, how are Catholic schools doing?
  • Tolton ambassadors renew goal to promote, pray for famed Black priest’s canonization
  • Creation, human and divine
  • NBC’s Tom Llamas says Catholic education deepened his faith, pushed him to always do his best
  • Quo Vadis attracts biggest crowd ever, promotes camaraderie and faith
  • Three dead, Holy Family Gaza pastor injured after mid-morning Israeli attack

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en