Films for Breakfast

It feels like horror films are in a bit of a renaissance period at the moment, with Blumhouse cranking out hit after hit and studios like A24, Neon, etc. delivering thought-provoking, mind-bending terror; it truly seems like we’re in an age right now where the genre is both in good graces with critics and audiences alike. However, one of the most revered and quintessential subgenres of horror is that of the slasher flick – yet it feels like we hardly get any original ones nowadays; and I get it! It’s hard to make one that doesn’t feel like an imitation of the classics such as Halloween or Scream. This is precisely what I love about Josh Ruben’s Heart Eyes, a film that doesn’t necessarily try to reinvent the wheel of the slasher sub-genre, but instead deliver the goods with a sense of self-awareness and style.

One huge plus for Heart Eyes is the fact that it doesn’t just have a clear passion for slasher films and the tropes that accompany them, but also knows the romantic comedy genre like the back of its hand. The film follows two co-workers, Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay (Mason Gooding) who are both single on Valentine’s Day and are working overtime together. Everyone around this is mistaking them as a couple, including the infamous Heart Eyes Killer, who has terrorized couples every Valentine’s Day for the past several years. After sparks inevitably fly between Ally and Jay, they have to spend the night on the run from the killer – who seemingly wants to kill them even more as their chemistry becomes even more undeniable throughout the night.

Any romantic comedy is only as good as the leads you have and their chemistry with one-another, because if you don’t buy into their relationship or care about whether or not they end up together, then what’s the point? From the get-go, Heart Eyes goes out of its way to make the characters of Ally and Jay endearing with a meet-cute at a coffee shop that feels like it is genuinely stripped from a traditional romantic comedy. Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding both respectively find a perfect balance in their performances, understanding that the script is poking fun at both of these genres, but also somehow making these feel like real people that you can care about. Their chemistry with one-another is truly great, and is a huge factor into why the film is as entertaining as it is inbetween the gnarly kills.

Speaking of gnarly kills… boy, are they gnarly! I’m not sure if the Heart Eyes Killer will immediately join the lexicon of infamous slashers such as Jason, Michael Myers, Ghostface, etc. – but he certainly makes a name for himself here with some hilariously gruesome kills that provide both shock value and ingenuity with how elaborately they are pulled off. Director Josh Ruben simply knows how to frame slashers, as every time Heart Eyes enters a room, you simply feel the energy shift. He knows how to frame the killer in the sickest (complimentary) possible way, making for some instantly-iconic horror imagery. The killer proves to be an excellent foil to the leads, and the mystery surrounding him is just strong enough to have you second-guessing all your theories throughout.

Usually films with more than two screenwriters have me hesitant, but Christopher Landon, Michael Kennedy, and Phillip Murphy truly deliver the goods here. I feel like the film hits the mark on all the major beats that it tries to accomplish – tension, inventive kills, and fun slasher lore; as well as a cute, compelling romance with likeable leads. However, something that caught me off-guard with the screenplay is how genuinely funny and self-aware it is, something that I feel the marketing is not fully leaning into. There are some moments where I was in disbelief at how honestly subversive and wacky it was getting, and I mean that in that best way possible. It felt so refreshing to see a film commit this hard to its tone, making it feel entirely singular.

I’m sure some will scoff at what Heart Eyes is trying to do, mistaking its sincerity and humor for being cringe – or maybe they simply won’t enjoy it, even if they get it. And that’s fine! But for me, Heart Eyes feels like an instant-cult classic and I’m simply getting ahead of the curve. I don’t know if it will find immediate success, but I trust that its audience will eventually find it and adore it. This is a truly original and deeply fun horror flick that delivers quite literally everything you could want for the premise, and for my money, even more than that. It’s some of the most fun I’ve had at the theater in a while. Please give it a shot!