Today’s quick review: Love Shot. Max (Dakota Loesch), a hitman and vinyl enthusiast, finally finds a kindred spirit when he meets Karen (Amy Tsang), a karaoke singer with the same musical tastes as him. Their romance hits a snag, however, when Max’s bosses order him to kill her. Max decides to run away with her instead, but only after he takes one last job from Tony Kaufman (John Kapelos), the newest crime boss in Koreatown.
Love Shot is a budget crime romance with elements of black comedy. The movie follows the ill-fated relationship between Max, a shy and awkward hitman, and Karen, a singer with troubles of her own. The combination of blooming love, criminal intrigue, and a packed soundtrack gives Love Shot a distinct tone. But its execution falls well short of its vision, and its stilted dialogue, empty plot, and weak characters outweigh its strengths.
Love Shot has an awkward rhythm to it. The dialogue feels unnatural, written more to check off objectives than to emulate organic conversations. Max and Karen are occasionally cute together, but the movie overstates their chemistry by a wide margin. It also seems ambivalent about them as a couple, simultaneously portraying their relationship as idyllic while trying to show how truly dysfunctional it is. This makes it hard to invest in the film.
Love Shot also has a hard time building up momentum. There’s no sense of tension, only a vague notion that Karen is in danger. The question of who wants Karen dead isn’t enough to drive the movie, and the answers the movie does eventually provide are thin and unsatisfying. As such, Love Shot often seems like it’s stalling for time. Max and Karen go back and forth about their relationship, listen to music, and only rarely move the plot along.
Love Shot is a movie whose reach exceeds its grasp. The few moments where it finds its rhythm show real potential, and the ideas it toys with are worth exploring. But the handful of jokes that land, the directorial flourishes that hit the right timing, and the musings on the nature of romance are all undermined by the rest of the film’s execution. As a result, Love Shot will only really appeal to those willing to take the pieces and ignore the whole.
For a crime comedy with a more intricate plot and a better lead couple, try Lucky Number Slevin. For a romantic black comedy with a more inventive premise, try Dead in a Week (Or Your Money Back). For a quirkier, more upbeat romance involving a hitman, try Mr. Right. For a more thorough subversion of storybook romance, try 500 Days of Summer.
5.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 4.5 for flashes of inspiration without the fundamentals to support them.