Review by Brad Balfour
Film: “Heart Eyes”
Director: Josh Ruben
Cast: Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, Michaela Watkins, Devon Sawa, Jordana Brewster
Heart Eyes,” the rom-com slasher film, is in the running to be the date movie for anyone ambivalent about relationships. Loaded with little references and cute asides about the death of love or, at least, its questionable value, this film proves that romance can both be hapless, heroic and occasionally humorous.
Directed by Josh Ruben — written by Phillip Murphy, Christopher Landon (who also produces), and Michael Kennedy — the film alternates between being a parody of a slasher film and being a genuine slasher film. Taking various clues from “Scream” and other humorous slasher franchises, this film presents one absurdity after another while being charming.
Director Ruben craftily concocts a genre mashup, blending romantic comedy tropes with slasher movie moves. These elements function well in this hybrid. Thoroughly self-aware (perhaps to a fault), stocked with some obvious gags and gory kills, the picture alternates between endearing and tortuous.
“Heart Eyes” starts off awkwardly, opening on an over-the-top influencer couple who quickly become serial killer Heart Eyes’ target. Once the killer’s arrows start flying, It corrects itself by horribly killing off the lovers in the most absurd way and setting up audiences for exactly what they came to see — love and murderous merriment.
The film stars sweet-faced Olivia Holt who gets her chance to be the lead (she got her start through Disney) and adorable Mason Gooding as a duo under duress from stalking stabber Heart Eyes, who’s been slashing couples for several Valentine Day seasons.
After the intro set up, the film focuses in on 20-something marketing executive, Ally (Holt) who still hasn’t gotten over her ex since their breakup. She Insta-stalks him on her downtime. Despite the efforts of her fast-talking bestie, Monica (Gigi Zumbado), to squash negative thinking, Ally fears she’s about to be fired by her sharp-tongued boss, Crystal (Michaela Watkins), for a well-conceived but badly timed jewelry ad centered on doomed lovers in movies.
The ad debuts just as the Heart Eyes Killer resurfaces in Seattle to snuff out couples in love. Facing public backlash, Ally is given one more chance to save face for her firm. She has to come up with a new campaign by joining forces with the company’s “cupid,” Jay (Gooding), with whom she had connected earlier in the day as they fumbled over coffee orders.
The two rivals have to develop an ad campaign and are working late into the night on Valentine’s Day to get it done and out. Ally agrees to work on a new strategy over a fancy dinner with Jay that evening. It doesn’t escape her that it’s Valentine’s Day and the restaurant is packed with lovebirds. She effectively ruins the evening, pushing him away with rude judgements. But things are about to get worse.
While doing so, they’re mistaken for a loving couple by the infamous Heart Eyes Killer after the two lock lips. Now the couple must spend the most romantic night of the year running for their lives. The masked menace, already knee-deep in dead bodies on his killing spree, spots the pair in a revenge-fueled kiss which happens when Ally spots her ex who happened to come to the same restaurant with his new dollie.
Their chemistry convinces Heart Eyes to stalk them. He wants to claim Jay and Ally as his next victims. The couple turns for aid to a wretched cop team played by Devon Sawa as Detective Hobbs and Jordana Brewster as Detective Shaw (get it?) They’re hot on the killer’s trail, determined to catch him before he can slay again. They turn out to be far less effective in one way and far more trouble in another.
In general, there’s lots of crossover between romantic comedy and slasher scenarios. One kind of gesture and set-up that can be read as sweet in rom-coms doubles as sinister in horror films. Ruben and company incisively tap into the overlap, intertwining the two disparate notions not only to prompt chuckles, but also to terrify. Jokes and scares are delivered in alternating fashion, from Ally’s discovery of Heart Eyes hiding in her closet during an embarrassingly inopportune moment to her heart-to-heart with Jay as they seek refuge in a kinky couple’s van — who are about to make love.
As traditional red herrings abound, so do the bonding situations between Ally and Jay. A makeover montage of “You lied to me” conflict and a climactic race to the airport — endemic to all rom-coms — take on a renewed glow when chased with bloody possibilities.
Though it has rough patches, the movie moves briskly enough in its 90+ minutes with all sorts of unexpected turns red herrings. So it’s a worthwhile option for a possible Valentine’s date to enjoy — or at least survive.