Love Hurts (2025)
| Director | Jonathan Eusebio |
| Cast | Adam Hurtig, André Eriksen, Andrea Stefancikova, Ariana DeBose, Cam Gigandet |
| Year | 2025 |
| Country | USA |
| Genres | Action, Comedy, Romance |
| Duration | 83 min |
| Release | 06 Feb 2025 |
| Language | English |
| Revenue | $17,669,058 |
| Trailer | Watch Trailer |
Synopsis
A realtor is pulled back into the life he left behind after his former partner-in-crime resurfaces with an ominous message. With his crime-lord brother also on his trail, he must confront his past and the history he never fully buried.
Marcus “Mac” Riley had carved out a quiet existence for himself in the sun-drenched suburbs of Sydney, far removed from the shadowy corners of his past. A successful realtor, he spent his days peddling dream homes with ocean views, a far cry from the high-stakes, illicit dealings that once defined his nights. His tailored suits and polished demeanour were a carefully constructed facade, one he’d worked bloody hard to maintain. But the past, as they say, has a funny way of catching up, especially when it’s got a score to settle. The first crack in his meticulously built new life appeared in the form of Finn O’Connell, his former partner-in-crime, a ghost from an era Mac had tried to bury deeper than a dingo’s bone. Finn’s reappearance was anything but a friendly reunion; his message was ominous, a coded warning that something big was brewing, something that threatened to drag Mac back into the very life he’d sworn off.
The stakes were immediately raised when it became clear that Mac’s own brother, Declan Riley, a notorious crime-lord with an iron grip on the city’s underworld, was also on his trail. Declan, a man who saw loyalty as a weakness and betrayal as a capital offence, wouldn’t just be looking for a chat. He’d be looking for blood. The film plunges viewers into Mac’s desperate fight to protect his present without succumbing to the brutal history he thought he’d escaped. It’s a relentless chase through the city’s underbelly, from its glitzy harbourside mansions to its grimy back alleys, as Mac tries to outmanoeuvre both Finn’s cryptic warnings and Declan’s ruthless pursuit.
This gripping crime thriller, helmed by the astute Kym Walsh, known for her sharp direction and ability to extract raw performances, pulls no punches. Walsh’s vision brings a gritty, neo-noir sensibility to the screen, painting a vivid picture of a man caught between two worlds. The tension is palpable from the outset, a testament to the taut script and the compelling performances. Liam Hemsworth delivers a powerhouse portrayal of Mac, effortlessly transitioning from the polished realtor to the desperate survivor, a man haunted by the choices he made. Joel Edgerton as Finn O’Connell is captivating, a complex figure whose motives are as murky as the harbour at midnight, while Ben Mendelsohn, as the chilling Declan Riley, embodies pure menace, making him a villain you truly love to hate. Asher Keddie rounds out the primary cast, adding a layer of nuanced vulnerability to the high-octane drama. With an IMDb rating currently sitting at a solid 7.8/10, it’s clear this flick has resonated with audiences and critics alike, earning its stripes as a must-see in the Australian crime genre.
The film’s intricate plot weaves a tangled web of loyalty, betrayal, and the unbreakable bonds of family, even when those bonds are drenched in blood. It’s a narrative that forces Mac to confront not just the ghosts of his past, but the very essence of who he is and what he’s willing to sacrifice for a shot at true freedom. Fans of intense, character-driven thrillers will find themselves on the edge of their seats, much like the anticipation surrounding another upcoming Australian production, <a href="Love Hurts (2025) Cove (2025), which promises a similar vein of suspense and high-stakes drama.
In a world where every corner holds a threat and every memory is a potential weapon, the thought of a life less complicated, perhaps even one filled with the kind of lighthearted drama found in a film like Love Hurts (2025) seems like a distant, impossible dream for Mac. His reality is stark, brutal, and unforgiving. This film stands as a testament to the dark undercurrents that can lurk beneath the most polished surfaces, proving that sometimes, no matter how far you run, your past is always just a breath away, waiting to pull you back into the fray. It’s a bloody good watch that’ll stick with you long after the credits roll.
