Blending comedy, horror, and romance, director Josh Ruben makes Heart Eyes into a fun, bloody, tongue-in-cheek homage to the slasher genre.
Heart Eyes Synopsis: When Seattle becomes terrorized by the Heart Eyes Killer, two lovelorn individuals – Ally (Olivia Holt, Cloak & Dagger) and Jay (Mason Gooding, Scream 6) are forced to go on the run to evade the killer. As they are running, the pair begins to fall for each other. All the while fighting for their lives on the most romantic day of the year – Valentine’s Day.
Love in the World of Horror in Heart Eyes
Regarding Heart Eyes, actor-turned-director Josh Ruben returns to the big screen following his directorial debut with Scare Me (2020) and the successful Ubisoft adaptation Werewolves Within (2021). With Heart Eyes, Ruben blends comedy and horror to create a fun, bloody, and hilarious ride from beginning to end. Yet, the screenwriters Michael Kennedy (Freaky) and Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day) assist Ruben. Along with screenwriter Phillip Murphy (The Hitman’s Wife Bodyguard), the three forge a script that homages the slasher genre while adding a tongue-in-cheek nature. They achieve this through certain characters who embody these tropes and ideas, mainly within the romantic comedy genre.
Cinematography, Production Design, and Editing
One way the film executes this is through the cinematography. Director of Photography Stephen Murphy (Mr. and Mrs. Smith) uses surroundings and light significantly when Murphy contrasts the day and night-time scenes with a sharp but soft contrast. As a result, the day scenes are light and bright, echoing a romantic comedy. Whereas the scenes set during the night-time echo films like Friday the 13th (1981). Moreover, production designer Rob Blavin maintains simplicity with the design, allowing most sets to feel practical. Thus, it gives the film a lived-in quality with its setting.
Additionally, the costume design courtesy of costume designers Jaindra Watson (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Tony Gardner, and Bryan Christensen (Dear Santa) creates a leather-clad killer. One that balances being a throwback to Slasher characters like Jason Voorhees. However, it contains the sophistication, intelligence, and technology of a horror villain like Ghostface from Scream (1996). We mainly see this through the mask used effectively and with commitment. Therefore allowing the kills to be brutal and entertaining.
As for the score, composer Jay Wadley (The Wedding Banquet) is a throwback to classic horror films like Psycho (1960). We see this with Wadley utilizing horns and violins, giving the score an acoustic sound. Furthermore, it allows the film to have an organic sound to it. All the while honoring what came before in the genre. Finally, editor Brett W. Bachman (Companion) tightens the running time to a solid hour and forty minutes, allowing Bachman to balance horror with suspense and humor.
Performances in Heart Eyes
Leading the cast are Olivia Holt (Cloak & Dagger) and Mason Gooding (Scream 6) as Ally and Jay. Starting with Holt as Ally, Holt delivers a solid performance, maintaining a likable and relatable demeanor. Additionally, Holt displays excellent chemistry with Gooding’s Jay. Speaking of Gooding, as Jay, Gooding is cool yet charismatic. On top of that, Gooding manages to have good chemistry not only with Holt but also with his other cast members. As a result, Holt and Gooding’s chemistry amplifies to a certain extent.
Rounding out the cast are Devon Sawa (Final Destination), Jordan Brewster (Fast X), and Gigi Zumbado (The Rookie) as Zeke Hobbs and Joanna Shaw, a pair of detectives, and Monica, Ally’s friend. Sawa and Brewster become the representatives of that tongue-in-cheek, and Sawa’s performance leads to self-seriousness. Meanwhile, Brewster is less serious but provides a level of surprisingly effective menace. As for Zumbado, she delivers a hilarious performance, one that toes in line with the best friend archetype in most romantic comedies.
Final Thoughts
Regarding Heart Eyes, director Josh Ruben blends comedy and horror to create a fun, tongue-in-cheek throwback to the slasher genre. A large part of this is thanks to the script, which incorporates these various elements together. Additionally, cinematography, production, and costume design contribute to this. Finally, Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding lead the cast,with both of them having great chemistry. Overall, Heart Eyes is a fun, hilarious, and bloody tongue-in-cheek throwback that pays homage to the slasher genre while successfully combining the genres of horror and comedy.
